The Shadow Ridge Forensic Science Team is preparing for an exciting challenge as they travel to Reno in April 2026 to compete in this year’s SkillsUSA competition. Among the competitors are senior Katherine Puppe and junior Lola Romero, both are dedicated members of the school’s CSI team who are spending months preparing for this statewide event.
For Puppe, this trip marks an opportunity to explore new experiences within the field.
She shared that she is “most excited about getting to experience the competition,” explaining that she competed in a different category last year and looks forward to exploring new pathways this time around.
The CSI team, consisting of three students, must carefully divide and execute their tasks during the competition. Puppe will be responsible for sketching and triangulating evidence, while Romero photographs the scene and their teammate collects evidence.
“We delegate tasks to each other and execute them at a crime scene,” Puppe explained.
Romero described the team’s preparation process as both intense and rewarding.
“We do a lot of practice crime scenes where we do it exactly how we’ll do it in Reno,” she states. “We also study a lot because there’s a written test while we’re there.”
While the experience is demanding, the team values the lessons that come from working under pressure.
“Trying to figure out communication with your team is pretty hard,” Romero acknowledged. “Processing a crime scene in 20 minutes is something not even a real investigator can always do, so it’s stressful, but it also helps us continue to grow.”
Both students agree that teamwork is one of the most meaningful parts of the experience. Puppe shared that her favorite part has been “getting close to the people around me and collaborating.”
Romero encouraged future students interested in joining the team to take the leap, saying, “Totally do it. Go to the interest meeting, you might surprise yourself.”
As the Forensic Science Team prepares to represent Shadow Ridge in Reno, their dedication, collaboration, and passion for forensic science demonstrate what it means to be a Mustang—driven, hardworking, and ready to succeed.
