2012-2013 Palm Beach County SECME Design Seminars

In the SECME program, students are required to design, build, and test a variety of engineering research projects throughout the year. SECME student teams construct balsawood bridges for structural strength, cars powered solely by the spring from a mousetrap to race across gymnasiums, and two liter bottle rockets to launch for maximum hang time. Essays and artwork communicating student interpretations of this year’s theme, “Think it’s impossible? Think sySTEMatically. THINK SECME!” will be displayed and judged. The engineering Olympiad competition in February is the culmination of projects completed as a result of classroom activities, and of students, parents, teachers and partners participating in Saturday engineering design seminars. Design seminars familiarize students with the events in the annual Olympiad completion. They provide the people, the place, and the parts to work on SECME submissions. Students also interact with practicing engineers who help them understand the importance of education in the global economy with the ultimate goal of encouraging students to pursue postsecondary degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Please plan on attending!

Coach Ed Batchelor and Captain Sam Smith
Above: Seminole SECME Coach Batchelor and Captain Sam Smith during a Mousetrap Vehicle Design Seminar.

The School District of Palm Beach County and the SECME South Florida Industry Partners are hosting the following design seminars in 2012-2013. Seminars last approximately 2-4 hours. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the seminars:

• Thurs. Sept. 20 @ 4:30 PM PM—Mousetrap Vehicle Design at Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center.
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. Go west on Forest Hill past Congress Ave. Turn left at Davis Road. Building is on left.
• Sat., Sept. 24 @ 9 AM—Mousetrap Vehicle Design at Lantana Middle, 1225 W. Drew St., Lantana, FL 33462
Directions: I-95 to Hypoluxo Rd. East to 14th St. and turn left. Go to West Drew St. and turn right. School on right side.
• Thur., Oct 11 @ 5 PM—Bridge/Truss Design at Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center.
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. Go west on Forest Hill past Congress Ave. Turn left at Davis Road. Building is on left.
• Sat., Oct 20 @ 10 AM—Water Rocket Design at Acreage Branch Library, 15801 Orange Blvd., Loxahatchee, FL 33470
Directions: Take Northlake Blvd. west to Seminole Pratt Whitney Rd. Turn south (left). Proceed south for 2.2 miles to Orange Blvd.
• Thur. Oct 25 @ 5 PM—Technical reports and drawings drafting at Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center.
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. Go west on Forest Hill past Congress Ave. Turn left at Davis Road. Building is on left.
• Sat., Nov. 3 @ 9 AM—Mousetrap Vehicles and Bridges at H.L. Johnson Elementary, 1000 Crestwood Blvd. N., Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 Directions: I-95 to Okeechobee Blvd. West to Royal Palm Beach Blvd. Turn north on Royal Palm Bch. Blvd. School on west side of street.
• Sat., Nov. 17 @ 9 AM—Bottle Rockets Design at Palm Springs Middle, Address: 1560 Kirk Rd., West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. West to Kirk Rd. School on NE corner.
• Thurs. Nov. 29 @ 5 PM—Mousetrap Vehicle Design at Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center.
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. Go west on Forest Hill past Congress Ave. Turn left at Davis Road. Building is on left.
• Tues. Dec. 4 @ 5 PM—Banner/Poster/Brain Bowl at Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center.
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. Go west on Forest Hill past Congress Ave. Turn left at Davis Road. Building is on left.
• Thur. Jan 24 @ 4:30 PM—DEADLINE: Registration, Rocket Patch, Essay, Technical reports and drawings due at Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center.
Directions: I-95 to Forest Hill Blvd. Go west on Forest Hill past Congress Ave. Turn left at Davis Road. Building is on left.
• Sat., Feb 9 @ 8 AM—SECME Elementary Olympiad at Santaluces High, 6880 Lawrence Rd., Lantana, FL 33462
Directions: I-95 to Hypoluxo Rd. West to Lawrence Rd. School is on NE intersection of Hypoluxo and Lawrence Rd.
• February TBA—Florida Atlantic University Engineers Week Event
Directions: I-95 to Hypoluxo Rd. West to Lawrence Rd. School is on NE intersection of Hypoluxo and Lawrence Rd.
• Sat., Feb 23 @ 8 AM—SECME Secondary Olympiad at Santaluces High, 6880 Lawrence Rd., Lantana, FL 33462
Directions: I-95 to Hypoluxo Rd. West to Lawrence Rd. School is on NE intersection of Hypoluxo and Lawrence Rd.
• April TBA—SECME Annual “Celebration of Achievements” Awards Banquet
For directions starting from Seminole Ridge High, visit http://tinyurl.com/SeminoleRidgeHigh