At the Forensic Science summer program at Saint Rose College, my classes covered so much material relating to forensic science and criminal justice.  We had guest speakers, like a District Attorney who talked about what he does, and two lawyers that talk about how the justice system works and what happens when police have evidence against someone who has committed a crime.  The lawyers told us what the defendants will do to trick you.  The defendant’s job is to make the CSI investigator or police look like a fool, so they always have to be thorough and not make any mistakes.  We were taught how to fix mistakes too. We analyzed a crime scene on our own where  the teachers gave us almost everything we needed.  We were forced to improvise on the number placards because we did not have enough.  They did that to show us that you can not leave the scene to get something you forgot, so you must work with what you have.  Once we finished, we had to look over and process the evidence.  We learned that when you become a CSI or detective, either you are someone inside the lab examining the evidence, or you are the evidence collector out on the field.  You cannot play both roles, unlike on TV.  We got to work with “other police departments” (other teams) to see if they were connected in any way.  They were.  On the last day we had to present as if we were in court.  It was a great experience - one of a kind. The hands-on labs were the best.  I got to work with metallic fingerprint dust.  I also got to see how to properly bag evidence.  
 We went on a few field trips, but there was one that had the biggest impact on me. It was when we went to the New York State Academy.  It was there that I told myself “there is no doubt I am going to major in criminal justice and be a part of law enforcement.”  The reason was that I saw the training the troopers had to do.  It is a challenge, but I would be so proud of completing it since it is not an easy task. It is similar to military training.  My dream has always been to be a CSI, but after this, I am still interested but I also want to look into being a part of the SWAT team and maybe part of the narcotic unit too.  I know I am being very indecisive, but it was so amazing, and I am glad to have such a great experience like this!   I can’t wait to explore further so when I go to college, I have a good idea of what I want to major in.  In the near future, I will have to pick colleges to apply to, and now because of this program, I will most likely apply to The College of Saint Rose and also the school of my dreams, UCLA.  I hope this program lets them see how serious I am about my future.  I now have some experience so I will most likely do well in class. I would most definitely recommend this program to a friend.  Actually I already did!  I told them it was a great program, and I learned so much. I thought it was not too hard and was very interesting. I hope they do it! They are changing the program a little next year from what they told us, but it will be a great program. I am hoping to have the opportunity to go again - it was just so amazing and I loved everything about it. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I hope anyone who is given the opportunity takes it because it is really eye opening and it helps so much. They would love it - no doubt about it! What I would tell anyone going is to not be negative.  It is a great experience full of amazing people.   It would be quite sad if they were negative about it.  If you are a shy person, it is okay!  The counselors and teachers will make you feel so comfortable like they are your second family.  They will look for you and make you participate.  They will not leave you alone, in a good way as in the counselors will not ignore you, and will always be there if you need someone.  If you are worried about it being too long, don’t worry about that either.  Everyone I know felt like it was over in a day when actually two weeks had gone by.  I did not notice.  I will be honest though, I was homesick because I am not used to being away from my parents.  However, fellow students and my counselors knew how it felt and they were there for me.  In the first picture, we are at the New York State Academy before we went in.

Because I was flying to California from Albany, New York, I arrived earlier than other students. When I finally got to meet everyone, they were really nice but I noticed some of the students felt shy just like I did. To get to know everyone, we played a game and it worked as an ice breaker. I thought that was very fun. On the first day we went to sleep early to get used to the dorm beds that were very high off of the ground, the bathrooms, and our roommates. My roommate had flown with me from California and we got to be together, which I thought was very cool. What surprised me was that all counselors were college students. The counselors were really great. They were funny and made the program fun by coordinating activities after class. They worked very hard to make it a summer we will always remember. They wanted us to feel a little about how college life was and always wanted to make sure we were comfortable. 
This picture is when we went to watch a play.

Since elementary school, I have had a strong interest in the field of forensic science. Participation in the Saint Rose Pre-College Experience: Criminal Justice and Forensics will allow me exposure to an area of interest I am fascinated to learn more about, and I am determined to make it my career.  I have no doubt that the opportunity to live and study on a college campus would be a life-changing experience as I will be the first in my Mexican American family to attend college.  I am seeking exposure to college life and rigorous coursework to prepare me for my college experience.  This will be the first time that I have been away from home, but I know that the outcome will be worth it - I am ready for this challenge.  

Thank you so much for your generosity. I am speechless that you have given me this opportunity and that you believe in my potential. I know I will learn so much as a result of the College of St. Rose Pre-College Summer Experience in Criminal Justice & Forensics, which will help expose me to the career I want in forensic science and to experience what college is like. I want be the first person in my family to achieve college, and I am determined to build a base that will allow me to be accepted into college and succeed. I know that I will be able to then help the future generations in my family and my community.

It is amazing to see your generosity and I appreciate your support. Thank you for opening this door to my future.