The criminal justice program at Williams Field High School celebrated a milestone last week as the school hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its new classrooms.  

First responders and community leaders attended the event, which highlighted the program’s strong ties to public service and its role in preparing students for careers in law enforcement, emergency response and criminal justice. 

The new learning environment features hands-on labs, simulation and mock environments including a forensics laboratory, shooting simulator room, mock corrections facility, dispatch and security room, physical training space and mock courtroom. 

Vella Thompson, a 10th-grade criminal justice student, expressed her excitement about the new learning environment. 

“This is a mega update from our old classroom,” she said. “It’s overall great for all the students around because everyone likes something different in the field, and this space gives us different stations to learn more.” 

The classrooms are located in what used to be storage space on campus. The move was part of a broader effort to optimize campus space and accommodate the growing need for additional classrooms.  

Without available funding for a previously planned classroom addition, district and campus leaders pivoted to transforming an underutilized area into a fully functional learning environment.  

Over the past several months, the space has been renovated and tailored to suit the unique needs of the Criminal Justice program. 

The newly renovated classroom is a major step forward for the criminal justice program, according to Craig Pearson, HUSD career and technical education director.  

“Since the school opened, this space had either been underutilized or not used at all,” he said. “As our criminal justice program continues to grow, we needed a bigger space. This space was ideal for setting up the various stations needed for the program, and it also provided a great outdoor area that students can use.” 

District partners DLR Group and Waltz Construction helped make the space possible, with curriculum and supply support from Chandler-Gilbert Community College and guidance and industry expertise from local law enforcement.  

 Students and faculty alike have expressed enthusiasm for the fresh environment. 

“The new area is phenomenal,” said William McDonald, criminal justice teacher. “It provides us with a great number of resources to expose our students to all of the opportunities that can be found in the criminal justice system. This will give us more exposure to do more hands-on activities, give them more experience, so that when they do go out into the career field, especially after they graduate, they will have a better understanding on how to do these different tasks.” 

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