For the first time since the 2015-2016 school year, LHS will be offering a Forensics class. The class, taught by Chemistry Teacher Dean Hakanjin, will now be a full-year course, rather than the half-year course that it was previously.

Forensics will help students learn how to apply their current science knowledge to answer questions related to various crimes. The class will also offer Syracuse University credit for its completion. Hakanjin will head to Syracuse this summer to receive instruction for teaching the course.  

With the class being brought back this year, the question was, why now? Science Department Chairperson Carol-Ann Winans knew now was the right time: “With the current eighth graders taking biology, we thought there would be a need in the future for more science electives so students can take four years of science.” 

The class has gotten students and teachers excited for its introduction. Hakanjin hopes to use this excitement to benefit his students: “I am excited to teach the course for a number of reasons. Primarily, it is a course that can inspire students into a career field. Going to college with a specific direction early on really makes the transition so much easier.” For some students,  already knowing what they want to do in college will also help fuel their excitement for the class. Junior Jake McDonald says, “I look forward to the work because it’s something I’ve wanted to learn in college.”

Forensics will look to prepare students for the future in multiple fields, by helping to develop problem-solving skills and the use of evidence. “Some of those directions could be law enforcement, lab work, and legal services fields are the obvious ones,” stated Hakanjin. “Forensic accounting and cyber security are also fields where gathering evidence and problem solving skills are critical,” adds Hakanjin. McDonald is confident that the skills he will learn in the class will be beneficial. “I think it will give me a feel for what I want to learn in college and beyond. Not every school has this class and I think it will benefit me and give me a head start.”

The class will be classified as an elective and will be a viable option for juniors and seniors looking to not enroll in physics. Similar to the anatomy class currently offered at LHS, many students will be expected to take the class either in place of or in addition to a traditional science class. 

The reintroduction of the forensics class is expected to benefit students in the present and in the foreseeable future. Hakanjin know its potential benefits, “There will be many opportunities for students to work together and learn how to problem solve together.”  Hakanjin added, “I have been looking over the syllabus, and I am really excited about the rigor and structure of the class.”