Children at The Growing Tree Child Development Center got a hands-on introduction to community service and science during a special Community Helpers Week visit.

Members of the Westmoreland County Forensic Services Division visited both childcare center locations, giving young students a closer look at a profession they may usually encounter only in books or on television.

The visit focused on the science behind forensic work and the role trained professionals play in examining evidence.

Detectives Crawford, Gizler and Grabiak showed the children how fingerprints can be used as unique identifiers and explained some of the basic ideas behind processing a scene.

The biggest hands-on moment came when each child had an opportunity to make a fingerprint of their own.

Students were able to take their prints home, turning the lesson into a memorable keepsake for their families.

The program was part of the center’s broader Community Helpers Week, which introduces children to people working in different professions throughout the area.

Experiences like these give young children a chance to connect classroom curiosity with the people and careers found in their own community.

For Westmoreland County families, the visit offered a positive example of local professionals taking time to make learning engaging, approachable and fun.