The DeSales University ACCESS program in partnership with the Officer David M. Petzold Memorial Foundation will host its 6th annual CrimeFITE (Forensics Investigator Training Experience) camp June 15-17, an interactive seminar aimed at inspiring and educating attendees considering a profession in Criminal Justice.
The camp, limited to 20 openings for high school students on a first-come, first-serve basis, is held from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Cost is $150 per student and lunch is included.
This year’s CrimeFITE will feature lectures from members of a S.W.A.T. team, a digital forensics expert, an attorney, an investigator, a coroner, and a first-responding officer. The camp will also have several hands-on training sessions throughout its three days, including a mock crime scene analysis, forensic interview training, and a K-9 unit drug-search simulation.
“We hope students can take away an experience that is fulfilling to them, and that they can make a contact they would not normally make,” said Leala Kuchera, academic advisor at the DeSales University Easton campus. “All of the presenters hand out business cards. We’ve had a couple of students reach out to local police stations and do ride-alongs.”
The camp began in 2010 in honor of Officer David M. Petzold, a former DeSales University ACCESS student and Upper Saucon Township police officer who was killed in the line of duty. DeSales University is now the site of the Lehigh County-run David M. Petzold Digital Forensics Laboratory.
“The Petzold Foundation wanted to give back to the community and give kids experience in the criminal justice field,” Kuchera said. “This is our 6th year, and it’s been very successful so far. It fills up every summer.”
In addition to CrimeFITE, DeSales offers other summer activities for youths including:
The Summer Video Institute offers professional training in digital filmmaking for ages 13 and up; the Summer Theatre Institute offers professional theatre training for high school and college students as well as a junior program for grades four through eight; and the Summer Dance Intensive offers professional dance training for ages 14 and up. For more information click the program links or call 610.282.1100, ext. 1247
The Athletic Department offers camps in various sports, including baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and field hockey. For more information, click here.
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival will offer its children’s show Rapunzel as well as Shakespeare for Kids, a high energy, one-hour production designed for children ages 4 to 10 to actively experience Shakespeare's vibrant language and characters. Click here for more information.