On April 16th and 17th, the 10th grade class toured the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, a state-of-the-art criminal laboratory and education center.  The facility is a partnership among Cal State L.A. and the Los Angeles Sherriff's and Police Departments and houses both classrooms and actual criminal laboratories.

During their visit, the students were able to learn more about the differences between criminal justice and criminology, see demonstrations of lab techniques including testing for the presence of narcotics and blood, and view the intricacies of a human hair specimen under the microscope. They also saw unique displays throughout the center including samples of bullet-shattered glass, and stories of actual crime scenes and the clues unearthed by forensics.

“I liked visiting the forensic center," shared Ronechia W.  "It was very interesting and something that I think I would enjoy doing as a career.”  For Diana A., it further strengthened her interest in criminal investigation.  "I think this might be one of my top career choices," she stated after the trip.

We are so grateful to Dr. Peterson, Dr. Roberts and their dedicated grad students for providing such a memorable and impactful experience for our students!

In addition to the forensic center, the students were also led on a tour of the entire Cal State L.A. campus, which included a presentation by the Admissions staff and an opportunity to mingle with college students.

Ashante A. said of the experience, “I like that we were able to sit inside an actual college classroom and laboratory.  I felt like a real college student.”  Makaila S. shared, “I like all the details the speakers gave us about careers and college."

Thank you to all of our tour guides and speakers for informing and inspiring our students.

Go Golden Eagles!!

For more pictures, visit our photo album.