A fictional crime has been committed and students at Gary’s Williams Elementary are sniffing out clues with guidance from the Chemistry Club at Indiana University Northwest.

“Today, we will look at how we’re going to solve a crime using fingerprints,” said faculty adviser Linda Wozniewski, IU Northwest lecturer of Chemistry and Physics.

On Tuesday, the students learned the three basic types of fingerprints and “everyone out of billions of people have different fingerprints,” Wozniewski told them. They learned to “lift” their own fingerprints using tape.

The students also learned how to analyze liquids by conducting pH tests.

The students in grades K-5 sat around round tables arrayed with vials of liquids including lemon juice, vinegar, ammonia, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

About 25 students are part of Williams’ after-school STEM Club, short for science, technology, engineering and math.

The once-a-month workshop with IUN began in August. The students spend half their time each month in the chemistry club’s program and the other half in a robotics program taught by local electricians.

Tomeka Pope, who teaches Project Lead the Way STEM classes at Williams, organized the club and said the school is on the cusp of attaining its accreditation as a STEM school.

Aubrianna Coulter, 8, said she enjoys science and all the projects they’ve completed, especially the tasty ones. “The last time we had cupcakes.”

A few minutes later she dipped a test stick into an ammonia vial and watched in wonder as it turned green.

IUN Chemistry Club member Rami Alnahass, a sophomore biochemistry major, told them the composition was the opposite of acidic. “Its pH is 8,” he told them.

The students learned that pH is the quantitative measure of acidity or basicity in liquid solutions.

Next, they dropped text sticks into a vial of vinegar and the sticks turned reddish brown, indicating more acidity or pH 4.

Hamza Nasar, IUN Chemistry Club president and a neuroscience major from Chesterton, said each lesson builds upon the next one until the students gain the skills they need to solve a crime at the end of the workshop.

He said the idea for the after-school workshop began last summer when Chemistry Club members did a demonstration at Williams’ STEM open house.

“The kids loved it and Professor ‘Woz’ (Wozniewski) was crucial to me for the curriculum, she teaches forensics,” he said.

“It’s honestly really rewarding,” he said. “I didn’t think they’d be interested in the experiments. I was surprised,” said Nasar. “I’m glad to be able to serve the community.”

Fifth grader Steven Williams, 10, said he’s already contemplating a career in science.

“I like doing science and STEM,” he said. “I like technology and the fingerprints.”

He said he watches a few crime shows, but not many.

“Science is my favorite subject,” he said.

Nasar said he hopes the workshop provides students with experiences he didn’t have when he was growing up.

“I hope they take away that science isn’t intimidating. It’s a fun career path.”

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.