At the Fifteenth Annual Celebration of Achievement Banquet on Saturday, April 25, 2009, the South Florida Industry Partners For Education recognized Seminole SECME team captain Kaitlin Kilpatrick as winner of the SECME Award for 2008-2009 Outstanding Student of the Year in the High School division. Congratulations, Kaitlin! Below is her letter of nomination:
Name: KAITLIN KILPATRICK Grade: 12
School: SEMINOLE RIDGE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
Coordinator: ERICH LANDSTROM
Grade Point Average: 3.68 (National Honor Society member)
SECME Participation: Kailtin joined SECME as a junior, and rapidly excelled. She took the leadership role for the P.O.W.E.R. project (Positive Outcomes While Enjoying Reading), where students read and discussed “Rocket Boys” by Homer Hickam. The students were then challenged to master rocket science by designing, constructing, flying, and recovering their handmade, high-powered model rocket with two ‘egg-stronauts’ onboard. Kaitlin transferred those skills into water bottle rocketry, although at the SECME Olympiad that year, she competed in the mousetrap vehicle and the brain bowl competitions. This year, Kaitlin is the Seminole SECME captain for the 2008-2009 team. She calls every meeting to order, directly supervises every team entry. She’s been my right hand, integrating between the club administration and the student participation. Further, she also assists with the Frontier Elementary SECME, and has volunteered on Tuesday afternoons to help them. That’s a two-fer of SECME AND community service!
Kaitlin receiving award from Glenn Cunningham, environmental engineer with Hazen and Sawyer
Community Service: In addition to the National Honor Society service projects, Kaitlin is busy helping critters. She’s cleaned the cages and nursed the nature at Folke Peterson Wildlife Center in Wellington; the Acreage Animal Hospital; and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.
Kaitlin also is an Irish stepdancer! Captain Celtic has displayed her riverdance locally in Loxahatchee at the school’s annual multicultural dinner and show hosted by the world language department, and regionally with the traditional Tir Na Greine dance troupe.
Kaitlin and Wendy Spielmen, K-12 SECME District Coordinator, School District of Palm Beach County, FL
Why the student is deserving of this award: A few months ago, I asked Kaitlin to explain in her own words her interest for the “SECME spotlight” feature of the club’s newsletter. Here is what she wrote:
Being captain of the Seminole Ridge SECME is truly an honor. I came to the meetings last year with a bit of rocketry knowledge under my belt. My interest in the field of science began when a stray model rocket fell into my backyard. My sister had brought it to my attention that she needed help to rebuild it. Slowly it began taking shape, into what would hopefully become a successful launch in the near future. Once the refurbishing was complete, my dad bought my sister her first pack of ‘A’ size engines. On launch day, the sky was a clear blue, and the wind was just right. As my mom counted down, “5…4…3…2…”, my sisters hands hovered excitedly over the battery, the ignition wires trembling. Once she said “ONE!” my sister made contact to the battery and the rocket soared up with a deafening WOOSH! My sisters face gleamed with joy on her hard work, and my face lit up with inspiration. Finding SECME has given me more knowledge than I could ever ask for, has brought me more inspiration, and I’ve had more fun with the activities and club meets than any day at the mall could be. I am proud to be captain of SECME this year, and that young women CAN lead & succeed.
UPDATE 26 April 2010
(left to right)
2009-2010 SECME Outstanding Student of the Year for Palm Beach County, FL (High School division) Shelby Weininger from Seminole Ridge High; Michele Williams, Interim Executive Director at SECME (Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering) headquarters @ Georgia Tech; and 2008-2009 SECME Outstanding Student of the Year for Palm Beach County, FL (High School division) Kaitlin Kilpatrick from Seminole Ridge High.
