As a seasoned science teacher, I have pursued every avenue I could to provide opportunities for my students to engage in a level of scientific work that would take them beyond the ordinary lab work so often utilized in a high school classroom. But how to do that? So often the cost of the equipment is prohibitive and the expertise that is required to set up experiences for students is isolated in a university laboratory somewhere. Not any more. Barcoding Life's Matrix has provided the opportunity for my Honors and AP Biology students to engage in the most relevant and exciting lab series that I have ever encountered. I am not teaching biotechnology skills so students can look at a gel and marvel at the little band patterns. I can take students through a process, with a goal, with a reason for their work. Students are able to see why we use the scientific tools we use - and develop proficiency with these tools. Students are thrilled when they see the bands indicating that they successfully amplified DNA and cannot wait to work with the sequences when they return. They know that they have done real work and have contributed real data to the scientific world at large. Their pride in their accomplishments is palpable and thrilling. This experience is a major capstone for my biology students and marks some of the most exciting work I have done in my career.