Journalists and forensic teams are known to clash at some crime scenes, but in Rachel Brown’s world they harmoniously co-exist. Her love for forensics began when she was younger; and she later developed a love for insects in the seventh grade, during an arthropod project. Despite enjoying the study of insects, she soon discovered she doesn’t care for collecting and pinning spiders.
“It’s complicated, you’d just have to stick the pin in the abdomen and try it for yourself,” Brown said.
In the middle of her seventh-grade year, her school hired a new science teacher, who took them to the state Science Olympiad the next year. Brown competed in several events, such as water quality, forensics and entomology. She received first place in entomology and was the only person to get a medal on her team. In ninth grade, she placed first in entomology, second in bioprocess and third in forensics.
Her love for journalism also bloomed at school. Central Middle School in Bartlesville offers a publications class, which combines yearbook and newspaper. Publications class also is where Brown found a love for photography. In the middle of her eighth-grade year, she had the opportunity to become the head photographer for the class. Brown then spent her freshman year of high school as the scholastic life section editor in her school’s yearbook.
Since discovering her love of photography, Brown has entered multiple fairs in Washington County, Okla., and hopes to save up for a new camera to replace the one that was a hand-me-down from her cousin.
“I have thought about doing photojournalism, but I don’t know if I want to just do journalism or photojournalism,” Brown said.
While she is dedicated to journalism and science, she also leaves a little bit of time for her music.
Brown admits that she didn’t know the amount of time and energy she would have to put in to learn to play the violin when she took up the instrument in the sixth grade.
“It’s tough learning because your muscles aren’t used to moving that way,” Brown said.
Outside of school, she sings in her church’s choir, and has acted in nine musicals at her church, as well as in three plays at school.
“I love all of them, but when it comes to narrowing down my choices orchestra is a higher priority than theater,” Brown said.
Even though she is just a sophomore in high school, she is planning for the future. She already has her potential college choices narrowed down to three universities: University of Central Oklahoma for forensics, the University of Oklahoma for journalism and Texas A&M for entomology. Brown has toured the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma, and she she plans on visiting Texas A&M soon.
