This article originally appeared Oct. 12, 2011 on njtoday.net
ELIZABETH — The Benedictine Academy CSI Science Contest held at the all-female Catholic secondary school on Saturday, Oct. 1 brought together a total of 12 teams from seven area elementary schools.
The young student participants spent several hours investigating a staged “crime” and then attempted to solve the mystery surrounding it based upon “clues” provided by the Elizabeth Police Department. Girls in grades 6-8 participated in the event, which featured teams of 3-6 students, guided by a faculty advisor, performing basic crime lab investigations.
Each student team featured an “evidence collector”, a “lab technician”, an “interviewer”, a “sketch artist” and a “photographer”. The first place award for solving the “crime” was given to Robert Treat Academy Charter School in Newark. Second place went to Hillside Catholic Academy. Third place was awarded to Holy Spirit R.C. School, Union.
Students from Robert Treat Academy Charter School in Newark placed first in Benedictine Academy’s CSI Science Contest on October 1, 2011. Student “investigators” from Robert Treat are pictured with Benedictine Academy President Sister Germaine Fritz, OSB, after receiving their first place award.
All eyes were on members of the Elizabeth Police Department’s “Crime Scene Investigation” unit and the Elizabeth Fire Department’s Rescue One Squad at the start of the event, as they staged what was described as “a possible arson crime” in the parking lot of the Academy.
As part of the exhibition, Rescue One staged an “accident” with “injuries” to demonstrate how an arson crime can originate. They also enacted a vehicle “extraction” for students to observe. CSI student participants were allowed to investigate the object of the “possible arson attempt”- a car that had been severely burned.
After examining the burned vehicle and taking notes, the students spread out in numerous “investigation rooms” (classrooms).The police detectives on hand assisted by helping students piece together “clues” from “evidence” presented to the various investigative teams. They also offered insights into how the unit conducts analysis of such “crimes”.
The student “crime scene investigators” examined “crime scene evidence” such as “fingerprint smudges”, “blood”, and “DNA” that they had collected, using microscopes and other technology in Benedictine Academy’s new interactive science lab.
Benedictine Academy science department faculty member Tom Randle coordinated the event along with Elizabeth Police Sergeant Mike Jones. Elizabeth Police Detectives Neal Coleman, Joe Garcia, David Rosa, Mickey Colon, Andy Cox and Paul Pasternak participated and assisted students in their investigations. Faculty members from Benedictine Academy were present to help with investigations and logistics.
The other schools that participated in the CSI Contest were: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Elizabeth; St. Mary and St. Elizabeth Academy, Linden; St. Genevieve, Elizabeth; and St. Joseph’s, Roselle. All students received certificates for participating.
