Students’ holiday thoughts turn to crime
FROM murder to car theft and fraud, a group of students are spending part of their summer holidays plotting and planning criminal activities involving dozens of their peers.
The 17th annual Forensic Science Camp at The Armidale School (TAS) will be held from 29 June to 6 July, and 18 students from schools in Sydney, Armidale, regional NSW and Queensland who have attended past camps, are spending the last few days of their holidays organising both the crime scenarios and logistics of the student-run academic initiative.
Last year the camp attracted 90 bright Year 8 boys and girls from 32 different state and independent schools in cities and country towns in four states and territories. Returning for his fourth camp is TAS Year 10 student Angus Lloyd, who this year takes over as Camp Director.
“Planning is going really well. There’s a lot of detail involved, but it’s been really fun catching up with former campers who want to put on a great experience for those with like minds.”
The camp is challenging, “but in a good way”, says Angus, adding that students have to work with others they don’t know and may not even like, developing skills like logical thinking, public speaking and leadership, along the way.
The camp was first held in 1994 and attracted widespread interest after featuring on the former ABC TV science show Quantum. It is acknowledged as a leading academic enrichment opportunity for gifted and talented students.
For the camp, participants are divided into groups and then solve fictitious felonies using a range of forensic techniques, including microscopy, chromatography, fingerprint analysis, cryptography and general science. They analysed the evidence, identify and interview the suspects, ordered medical and scientific tests and search criminal databases. On the final day of the camp, a local magistrate conducts a ‘court case’ in which the teams had the chance to convict their suspect.
ENDS
Click here to view the full Media Release, FSC-Jan-2014
