He then demonstrated brushing for fingerprints.

Damon and Det. Rex Goot visited with students as part of Persell Middle School’s summer JUMP program with teachers Jayme Genco, David Gee, Lina Scoma, Emily Naetzker, Julie Alfa and Ali Pezzulo.

Damon and Goot talked to students about their job and showed them the tools of the trade from the CSI vehicle. Students had an opportunity to learn more about what they do every day, the importance of collecting evidence and how they can become a crime scene investigator.

Their visit was part of a one week forensics unit that combines science, math, English language arts and teamwork. All three Jamestown middle schools are doing student-centered, project-based units this summer. Throughout all the units, students are taken out of their regular schedule and also receive both ELA and Math intervention with Mrs. Pezzulo and Mrs. Alfa.

Rance Freeman, a Persell Middle School summer JUMP student, examines fingerprints with JPD Det. Craig Damon.

“My favorite part of the CSI presentation was being able to see all of the tools they use on a daily basis. It was also really neat to see the drone and the different cameras that they can use,” said Persell Middle School JUMP student Summer Freeman.

After hearing the two presenters, students participated in a Clue-style murder mystery around the outside of Persell Middle School looking for evidence. For each suspect, they need to come up with an alibi and motive as well as any evidence that would be pertinent. Students will also be doing a hair analysis lab and cheek cell lab using microscopes. The teachers are also setting up a fake crime scene at Persell and having students emulate what Detectives Damon and Goot taught them.

“Having the students do project-based learning has been great in terms of letting them experience struggles with some tough material and relying on each other to come up with solutions,” Genco said. “Too often students are asked to work in solitude or with one partner, but this program allows them a ton of flexibility in how they accomplish each task and with whom. They welcome that healthy struggle when there is less pressure for right and wrong answers and they are not being graded. They are getting real life lessons each day that they can apply throughout the rest of their lives, which isn’t always true of standard curriculum. It has been really fun.”