Fascinating: Our students will look back 60,000 years

It shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone that students at Spring Creek High School will take part in a National Geographic project that possibly could trace their ancestry back 60,000 years.

Some 10 years ago, a team of Spring Creek youngsters won international recognition for their Odyssey of the Mind project. They ended up giving their presentation in Germany!

Ironically, a member of that team was Skyler Allen — now the wife of Scott Hardy, the Spring Creek teacher instrumental in the current project with National Geographic.

It involves taking swabs from the inner cheeks of the students and others taking part. National Geographic scientists then will analyze this material and produce “genetic maps” tracing their ancestries.

They are told this could go back thousands and thousands of years.

It is all part of the now astounding and successful DNA science that has convicted many criminals and freed thousands of innocent suspects.

This project, of course, has nothing to do with such aspects of science. It will go back to revealing information about the development of human beings, our races and nations and the paths humanity has trod down through the ages.

DNA is a fascinating and revealing new science.

And all of us can be immensely proud — and not one bit surprised — that our youngsters at Spring Creek are enthusiastically involved in this aspect of it.

Published in Editorials on March 17, 2006 11:14 AM