Crime lab visits Chandler Intermediate
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Nathan Straus Photo Officer Crystal Gonzales helps 5th grader Jayde Duke take fingerprints during the CIS crime lab presentation.

Over a hundred kids stayed after school Thursday, October 11. They weren't in any sort of trouble; they stayed in the gym. They weren't there for a sports game, either. They came to view a crime lab presentation, and to witness forensics in action.

Chandler Intermediate School was host to the Chandler police department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Henderson County sheriff's department, all there to teach kids how they work.

The departments came to the school at the request of the CIS MAD Science Club, which meets the second Thursday of every month.

Angela Peyton, 5th grade science teacher at CIS, said the Texas Department of Public Safety had to be contacted a year in advance.

"The kids have been looking forward to this," Peyton said. "We've been planning this for a while."

Four stations were set up around the gym: a fingerprinting

area, a blood splatter demonstration, an equipment exhibit and a crime-solving demo.

The students present were divided into 4th, 5th and 6th grade sections and sent to separate stations. Every 20 minutes Peyton blew a whistle signaling the time to alternate stations, resulting in a flurry of activity as kids hurried to get to the next demonstration.

"We have about 140 kids here," Peyton said. "A few are absent. In here it doesn't look like that many, but it's crowded in the cafeteria."

Mitch Ponnequin, a 5th grade student, said he visited the crime-solving station, where he tried to figure out who suspects were, based on an ink sample.

"I can't wait till I get to the fingerprinting," Ponnequin said.

Taylor Johnston, a 6th grader, said she enjoyed the exhibit.

"They came here to show us how they figure cases out," Johnston said. "My favorite station was the one where they show you the tools they use."

Johnston also said she joined the club a year ago because of the fun events.

The club boasts around 150 members, making it one of the largest science clubs in the state, Peyton said. It was started in September of 2006 as a way to help students become more enthusiastic about the subject.