Product Reflection

My junior paper is done! My service learning hours are done! I’m halfway done with the
graduation project, but I needed to figure out what I could do for my product. While completing my
service learning hours, I was taught about contamination of DNA evidence and how to avoid it.
Contamination of DNA evidence was the focus of my junior paper and it was the focus of my service
hours. I needed to correlate contamination of DNA for my product. I discussed options of what to do with
my English teacher, who suggested I do a presentation on contamination of DNA evidence, but also
research alternative that would be a better suited for collection of DNA evidence. This was the beginning
of my product.
I remembered being taught about the basics of hair analysis while completing my service hours.
The idea of hair analysis being an alternative to collection of DNA strike an interest in me. I gathered as
much information regarding hair analysis as I could-- including, what parts of the hair are used in
identifying suspects, what different parts contribute to identifying potential suspects, and cases where hair
analysis was used in place of DNA evidence. I had all of my information gathered and placed on a
PowerPoint presentation. Now I just needed an audience to present to. I emailed the Forensics teacher as
Providence High School, Dr. Krahn, explaining my project and passion for Forensic Science. He was
willinging to let me present in front of students and teachers. Overall, the product never troubled me
because the information was easy to gather and I had a eager teacher that was willing to help me out.
The presentation and product went smoothly. I have also known that I was really passionate about
Forensic Science, but this presentation allowed me to visually understand how much I love this field. I got
up in front of the audience and presented with so much passion and enjoyment, the audience was really
enthralled. I was able to apply concepts that I learned during my service hours to topics I was researching
and then further present my findings to an audience. Every concept that I was taught will be able to assist
me in my future career in Forensics. Most importantly, how not to contaminate DNA evidence but rather
how to handle it will care.
To all of the rising seniors, all I can say is I hope you chose a topic that either relates to what you
hope to do one day or really interests you. Not only will you be working with that topic for another year,
but you will also really learn about yourself and different capabilities that you were not aware of before.
If you do not choose a topic that you can dive into, then every aspect of the graduation project will drag
on and you will be miserable. Have fun with your topics, learn about yourself, learn about people in your
career, and apply what you learn to graduation project and in to the real world. Most importantly do not
procrastinate on any of the assignments.