Most of what my students know about Homeland Security comes from the popular media and leaves them

with a lot of questions and a lot of misconceptions about it. Integrating Homeland Security concepts in my lessons engages my students and brings physics to life. I can show how the physics concepts we learn are applied in the technology used by Homeland Security and also by our enemies. I now have an answer to the most asked question by seniors: Why do I need to learn this? My students can see how physics is relevant to their lives.

I also include Homeland Security career connections in some of my lessons. My students are very interested in some of the career opportunities previously unknown to them (and to me).

During the Homeland Security professional development, I not only learned new information but also gained hands-on experience in creating educational videos and more sophisticated presentations that I can use in my classroom. I feel better prepared to utilize novel information technology which is essential for those educating the digital generation .