Teaching and Learning Highlight: National Honor Society, Forensic Science

Foxborough High School was in the spotlight at Monday night’s School Committee meeting. The National Honor Society was the focus of the first of two teaching and learning highlights. A total of 57 students were selected by a nine member faculty panel and were honored by being inducted in to the National Honor Society. 

Students were selected based on their academic accomplishments, a minimum of a 3.4 grade point average, leadership characteristics and community service contributions. Kelsey Evans and Colleen Martin reviewed the criteria for those selected in the largest group to date and spoke of the many initiatives currently taking place by members of the group. Some of the initiatives shared included a recent Community Service Fair where 15 community service organizations were highlighted. The goal of the fair was to spread awareness and encourage students to volunteer in the community. Other efforts by the group include fundraising for St. Judes and planning drives to benefit homelessness.  

Science department chair Paul Charpentier and science teacher Mr. Scott Baum presented the second teaching and learning highlight focused on the new forensic science course offered at Foxborough High School. The course is geared toward senior level students. 

The mission of the course is to involve as many scientific principles and techniques to solve forensic science. Course content includes principles from biology, chemistry, and physics as well as earth science, sociology and psychology.  It is not the “Hollywood portrayal,” but instead includes a broad spectrum of science explained Mr. Charpentier.  Upon entering the forensic science lab one may see students engaged in the analysis of hair, fiber, fingerprinting, and DNA or busily examining evidence collected from a mock crime scene. Utilizing critical thinking skills, the power of observation and the application of scientific principles is a must in this very popular course.  It was originally anticipated that only one section of the year long course would be take place, but due to high interest senior forensic scientists currently fill two course sections.