The Forensic Science IV class at Shadow Ridge High School is taking career readiness to the next level. This year, the students are working on two major projects: preparing for professional style interviews and creating a “Dress to Impress” video aimed for guiding the lower level forensic science students.

Senior Autumn Harris explained that the inspiration for the video came from their teacher, Mr. Stahlke, who has encouraged previous classes to make it part of their career preparation. The video is designed to show underclassmen what professional dress looks like in a fun and approachable way. 

“Even though this is a school environment, we want you to be professional,” Harris announced. “It’s about giving students that slice of life moment so they know what they’re looking forward to in the future.”

Along with the video, the class has been focusing heavily on interview preparation. Students have recently completed résumés and are now moving into interviews to practice real world skills. Harris noted how much planning goes into the process, from creating flyers to organizing seating charts, all to ensure the interviews run smoothly. 

Harris states, “Career readiness is one of the biggest things in this class, everything is planned out so one step leads to the next.”

The “Dress to Impress” video is meant to do more than just showcase fashion. Its message emphasizes that professionalism is about effort, not money.

Harris reassures, “Even if you don’t have the materials to get super fancy, you can still do something. Dressing up isn’t just for the rich, it’s about making yourself comfortable and looking put together.”

Preston Berenty, another student in Forensic Science IV, sees the project as especially helpful for younger classmates. 

He explains, “So many people work better with visual demonstrations rather than just reading directions.”

By watching their peers model professional dress, students can better understand expectations for interviews and future career opportunities.

Berenty also expressed pride in how creative his classmates have been throughout the process. 

“They’ve spent a lot of time on it, and I think it will come out great,” he preached.

Looking ahead, he believes these lessons will carry into college and careers.

“We’re trying to set these students up for success rather than failure,” Berenty says.

Both Harris and Berenty agree the project’s lasting impact should be to encourage students to put in their best effort and take pride in how they present themselves. As Harris put it, “If you look good, you feel good.”

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Preston Berenty

One Star Casual Outfit