You can see the patch in greater detail in the website banner. Here are the details on the details:
Water Bottle Rocket: In the middle of the patch is a model rocket, launched by compressed air and water. The rocket is painted in our school’s colors of red and silver. On the body of the rocket is written “SRCHS HAWKS” for Seminole Ridge Community High School and our school’s mascot, the hawk, and it include a silhouette of a hawk’s head.
Brain: In the lower right corner is a human brain, with the brain stem merging with an entwined plant stem around the border. The brain depicts the mind of the SECME student. The brain is the seat of reason, responsible for learning, thinking, remembering, imagining and creating; all needed for success in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). But the mind is also responsible for emotions like friendship and positive attitude, which are needed for success in SECME and in life. Emerging from the brain is a SECME-style water bottle rocket.
SECME cyclone: In the upper right corner is the symbol of SECME, Inc. The mission of SECME is to increase the pool of historically under-represented, under-served, and differently-abled students prepared to enter and complete post-secondary studies in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. SECME does this with hands-on project-based learning to build and test balsawood bridges, mousetrap spring powered race cars, and model rockets.
Aquila: In the center left of the patch is the constellation of Aquila. Its name is Latin for “eagle.”Aquila represents the Seminole Ridge High mascot, the hawk. Altair is the brightest star in the constellation of Aquila and one of the closest stars visible to the naked eye. Altair is located 16.8 light years away. This means for a 16 year old high school student in SECME, that the light from Altair that a student today actually left the star around when the student was born, and has taken the student’s entire lifetime to reach Earth and stimulate our eyes.
Patch Border: Around the golden border of the patch is written this year’s theme of “SECME: STEMulating MINDS.” The border also features the silhouette of a hawk head, as the hawk is the mascot for our school.
Plant Stem on Patch Border: Entwined around the golden board is a green plant leafy stem, on which is carved “Seminole Ridge CHS.” Plant stems have four main functions which are:
- to transport water up against gravity between the roots and the shoots in the xylem and phloem, an example of SCIENCE.
- to produce new living tissue, just as in TECHNOLOGY manufacturing is a key consideration.
- to keep the leaves in the light and provide a place for the plant to keep its flowers and fruits, an example of biological ENGINEERING.
- to store nutrients, just as in MATHEMATICS numbers and symbols store arithmetic information.
