Crime scenes, conflicts, and condundrums are places you'll be sure to find EXPLO Mini student Em — but not for the reasons you might think. With big dreams of becoming a forensic scientist, Em leads the way pretty much anywhere. Except for the sidelines. 

I was raised in a big family where everyone has to help out around the house. I think it taught be to be a ‘never-going-to-sit-on-the-sidelines‘ type of person... that’s definitely a trait I use here at EXPLO a lot.

I think it taught be to be a ‘never-going-to-sit-on-the-sidelines‘ type of person. . . that’s definitely a trait I use here at EXPLO a lot.

I really want to be a forensic scientist when I grow up. Something about figuring out yourself what happened to somebody or something rather than waiting around for someone else to give you the news, is what makes the job sound so awesome... it’s definitely not for somebody who sits on the sidelines.

At EXPLO, I’m taking a Criminal Investigation and Prosecution course as well as a Murder Mystery workshop. It’s fun because what I’m learning in one class helps me with the other. I get to study about techniques on observations and inferences, learn about the investigation process — we even got to examine fingerprints with a duster at a crime scene we recently discovered in class. I can’t really talk much about it though. Top secret? Ya, definitely.

. . . we even got to examine fingerprints with a duster at a crime scene we recently discovered in class.

Something about being a forensic scientist would be cool because it also feels like I would be helping the community out every time I solved a crime. I care a lot for other people and can easily imagine myself in their shoes. I feel like that helps me take action more swiftly if I see any wrongdoing in my own community — I can sense when someone is upset or hurt.

Em encouraging other students to get up and dance during lunch period.

At EXPLO, I don’t have to use this power all that often. But I do act sort of like a forensic scientist when I’m out on the quad. [For instance], if a student is feeling a little homesick, I can sort of sense it, and I go over and make sure to try and get them to play in games and meet some of my friends. I mean, we all get homesick sometimes but everyone here is really nice and welcoming so it doesn’t happen all that often. The type of student that you wouldn’t usually find yourself hanging with during the school year are the exact same kids you think “Oh, I can totally be friends with them!” at EXPLO. It's pretty great that way.

The type of students that you wouldn’t usually find yourself hanging with during the school year are the exact same kids you think “Oh, I can totally be friends with them!” at EXPLO. It's pretty great that way.

Basically everyone just wants to make sure everyone else feels comfortable. And because, like I said before, I don’t sit on the sidelines — I make sure to do that every day here.