SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL
San Marcos High School students in AJ Bryant’s forensic science course are learning how science and law work together to solve crimes.
“My goal for the course is to make each lesson as close as possible to industry expectations,” Bryant said. “I align what we’re doing in the classroom with what happens in the real world.”
Hired three years ago after the previous teacher left, Bryant puts energy and creativity into the growing program. In her first year of teaching she taught four sections of forensic science. Today she teaches six sections and 156 students. The course satisfies the requirements for the advanced graduation plan and for the criminal justice pathway in the Career and Technical Education Department.
Forensic science students report that they enjoy Bryant’s fun, handson lessons, recalling three that were the most meaningful experiences.
“The mock crime scene activity was my favorite,” Sophia Robertson, a senior, said. “Ms. Bryant staged two murders, one in the lab and another at the bottom of the stairs near our classroom.”
Pac Jasak, a senior, added that the activity was fun with a “murder-mystery vibe.”
“The activity gave me a feel for what it is like in a forensic science career,” Jasak said.
Life-sized mannequins staged the crime scene, according to junior Bradley Pineda.
“She thought of all the details, like leaving small clues and evidence for us to analyze. She even put fingerprint stickers around the room,” Pineda said. “Our job was to recreate the storyline of events using the evidence. We really had to put our minds into it.”
Bryant divided the students into two groups and assigned specific forensic science jobs that would help them determine who committed the crimes.
“I was the sketch artist,” Jasak said. “I sketched out where everything was and made sure it was accurate and ready for court. I took measurements and drew the scene to scale. The goal was to show what the crime scene looked like as close as possible at the time of the murder. Wind can blow evidence and affect the scene over time.”
Junior Jaden Steggell took pictures of the evidence.
“We ended up using the photographs to prove who the actual murderer was,” Steggell said. “From this activity, I learned that small details have a big impact and that crime investigations can be complex.”
Robertson recorded who went in and out of the crime scene.
“For legal reasons, it’s important to know who has access to the scene,” Robertson said. “I learned that you must be very meticulous in your work.”
Students reported another favorite lesson was the fingerprint analysis activity.
“We put our fingers on an ink pad and then on a deflated balloon,” Pineda said. “When you blow up the balloon, you can see the smallest details you don’t notice every day. I learned that there is much more to it than you see. You use your hands for everything, and I am now more aware of myself.”
Senior Staize Harrell learned about the layers of skin and sweat glands in previous science classes.
“But in Ms. Bryant’s class I learned that putting your hand on the desk is easy evidence for a crime scene investigator,” Harrell said. “Ms. Bryant had us doing regular things in class and then when we dusted, we saw our fingerprints. Our fingers secrete oils that stay after you touch something. No matter what you touch, you’re leaving oils there.”
Bryant taught the students about the history of fingerprinting and the three main fingerprint patterns.
“I learned that no one has the exact same patterns. Everyone is unique,” Steggell said.
Students also say they loved the Serial Killer Cereal Box Project where they conducted case study research online about famous serial killers.
“We had to find the public records in the counties where the killer lived,” according to senior Tristan Infante. “My serial killer lived in Houston, so I went to the Pasadena public records website.”
Accessing information about the trial helped them learn about expert testimony.
“I now understand how forensic science and the legal profession work together,” Robertson said.
Besides learning forensic science, students explore careers related to the field. In May, Bryant and other teachers in the CTE Department hosted an all-day event called the Forensics and Law Enforcement Conference. Students visited places such as the Hays Criminal Justice Center and the San Marcos Police Department. After students returned to campus, they listened to presentations by state troopers and crime scene investigators and interacted with the police dogs and the Texas State Mounted Police Horses.
Infante found the conference aligned with his interests in becoming a game warden “I met the sheriffs from Hays County, and they put me in contact with some game wardens,” he said. “I hope to do an internship with them soon.”
The forensic science course helps students to refine their career interests.
“The class has made me want to become a crime scene investigator,” Pineda said. “I want to go into a profession where you can see something different every day.”
Harrell, who wants to become a childhood nurse and cardio-vascular surgeon, found the course helpful to her goals.
“In my science classes I’m learning about anatomy and physiology, but in forensics I’m learning about what happens to the remains of the body,” Harrell said.
The course also appeals to students who are not directly interested in science.
“I want to become a creative writer,” Robertson said. “I took forensic science because it’s fun to see the intersections between forensics and anthropology. I enjoy learning about our world and how people move within it. The course helps me as a writer to get into people’s heads and understand how they might commit a crime.”
Colleagues and students agree that Bryant has a positive impact on their studies.
“Ms. Bryant is a shining star in our CTE Department, and she provides amazing experiences for students,” CJ Odam, SMCISD’s Director of CTE and Federal Programs, said. “She works tirelessly to create labs, design realistic simulations and provide an engaging, interactive environment in which students can learn. We are proud to have her as a part of the team at San Marcos High School.”
Students like the course, but they like Bryant even more.
“She is a really good teacher who puts a lot of heart into her lessons. She goes above and beyond,” Pineda said.
Steggell added that Bryant is very dedicated and takes pride in teaching.
“She works hard to make sure that we understand forensic science. I’m glad she’s my teacher,” Steggell said.
Nathan Bond is an education professor at Texas State University. Elizabeth Hudson is a retired educator and journalist in Central Texas.
