MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – The Sibley Nature Center hosted Midland High School students through a series of forensic stations where multiple law enforcement agencies prepped mock crime scenes. Here, students learned the ins and outs of what specific law enforcement agents do when arriving at a scene.

The field trip was held for 450 MHS Forensic Science students as a part of their forensic project. This is the first time that students came to the Sibley Nature Center with law enforcement present to describe their jobs.

“When I heard about this, I was really excited to sign up for it,” says Senior Abbey Gideon. “The law enforcement here has been really helpful, and they’ve explained different types of jobs that we can do, and it’s really cool to see how their process goes and how everything just goes with the industry.”

With young adults sometimes having a tough time figuring out what they want to do in life after high school, today’s project was also viewed as a career day for potential future law enforcement agents. Sergeant Steven Blanco of the Texas Department of Safety called it an opportunity for students.

“The age between 18 and 21 is a difficult time period for a lot of young adults trying to decide what they want to do so we’re trying to give them a glimpse into what law enforcement does,” said Sgt. Blanco. “Give them some career opportunities thing to think about in the future. There’s a lot of great education opportunities in the Permian Basin with our universities and colleges to peruse a science degree, chemistry, biology or criminal justice.”

Although this is the first year that Midland High has put on something like this for students, with the outcome and engagement the students received, they will look to do this again in the future.