A GBI special agent and forensic artist were guest speakers in Scott Schmitt’s forensics class, a course that is offered to students enrolled in the Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security career pathway. Whitewater High is the only school in the county offering the pathway, and this marks its third year.

Students got the real scoop on how crime scenes are investigated when Special Agent Daniella Stuart shared how investigators collect and analyze evidence.

“She presented us with some really cool CSI type of information, everything from blood spatter to investigating an actual crime scene,” Schmitt says.

Also visiting the classroom was GBI forensic artist Kelly Lawson, who just happens to be the only forensic artist in Georgia. She learned the skills and practices of the job from her mother, Maria Lawson, who was the first ever forensic artist for the state of Georgia.

“She had an awesome presentation highlighting her drawings, and she even did a mock sketch for the kids while she talked to them,” Schmitt says.

Although Lawson was at the school to talk to students in Schmitt’s forensics class, he realized that her information would be valuable to the school’s art students so he invited some of the art classes to attend the presentation.  

The Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security career pathway is a three-year program that covers topics such as the court system, fire safety, disasters, search and rescue, forensics, terrorism, stress management, criminal law, sentencing, corrections, security, and use of force, to name a few. Most students who take the courses have an interest in a potential public safety career, but Schmitt says some are just curious and want to learn more about the topics.

Schmitt, a former Peachtree City police officer often shares his experiences and stories from his law enforcement days as they relate to various topics covered throughout the year.