Math-elites Win 2nd 4th Place at PBAU

Seminole Ridge students had a fourth-place finish at the annual Palm Beach Atlantic University high school mathematics and computer science competition on Saturday, November 09, 2013. Teams of teenagers from across Martin and Palm Beach County attended the calculating contest, from Port St. Lucie Centennial to Spanish River were among the scores of students solving real-world problems. And for the second consecutive year, the Hawks finished in the top tier.

The team members lead by Captain Sam Smith are math whizzes from the school’s SECME engineering and MAθ (Mu Alpha Theta) math honor society. During the competition, students solved three sets of paper and pencil problems in algebra, trigonometry, statistics, probability, and pre-calculus problems using Texas Instruments graphing calculators.

The team from Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach was declared champion of the 3-hour competition Coach Kay Mathews, science teacher for Biology, is proud of the Hawks' honorable mention.

Volunteering at the PBAU math competition are former Seminole SECME students and recent graduates Andrea Olave and Priscilla Cerqueira

SECME annual themes

2013-2014 SECME: Going Out On A S.T.E.M.

2012-2013 THINK it’s imPOSSIBLE? THINK sySTEMatically. THINK SECME! 

2011-2012 SECME: Plan It - Build It - Live It

2010-2011 SECME: STEMulating Minds

2009-2010 SECME: Igniting Minds Through STEM Education

2008-2009 SECME: Thinking Out of the Box

2007-2008 SECME: Lighting the Torch To Empower Future Leaders

2006-2007 SECME: A Launch Pad for the Next Generation of Explorers

2005-2006 SECME: Changing the World, One Student At A Time

2004-2005 SECME: 2lst Century Pioneers—Dreaming Today To Discover Tomorrow

2003-2004 SECME: The Global Road Map to Success

2002-2003 SECME: Vehicle of the Future – Engineered for Success

2001-2002 SECME: Equation for a Better World

2000-2001 SECME: Bridging the Technical Divide

1999-2000 SECME: Leveraging Partnership to Ensure Technical Talent for the New Millennium

1996–1997 SECME: Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology – Using the Past and Present to Building a Better Future

1995–1996 SECME: Entering the New Millennium Through Science and Engineering

PALM SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATOR NAMED SECME NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Dawn DeWitt, Science Teacher, and SECME Coordinator and Department Instructional Leader at Palm Springs Middle School has been named the 2013 SECME National Teacher of the Year. Each year SECME, Inc. (formerly the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering) recognizes outstanding K-12 educators who have demonstrated leadership ability in advancing student development and outcomes in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 

Bruce Wear (SECME Coordinator SDPBC), Dawn DeWitt (SECME Teacher of the Year), Michele Williams (Executive Director, SECME National), Sandra Jinks (Principal, Palm Springs Middle School) Back row; Charles Tharp (Ms. DeWitt’s husband and engineering volunteer)

In honoring Ms. DeWitt, SECME noted,”The SECME National 2013 Teacher of the Year demonstrated exemplary accomplishments in building and sustaining a successful SECME school program through creative and enriching curricular and extracurricular activities, thereby increasing the number of historically under-represented students who are interested in, and academically prepared for, studies in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).”

Bruce L. Wear, Palm Beach County District STEM/SECME Coordinator wrote in his nomination letter, “In her capacity as a SECME Coordinator, I have seen Ms. DeWitt work tirelessly with her own students spending countless hours after school and even on Saturdays leading them towards excellence.  She constantly shares her knowledge and experience with others on a frequent basis.  She runs several of our Saturday Mousetrap and Bridge/Truss Seminars for the benefit of other members of our SECME “family”.  Dawn brings not only her enthusiasm but also her deep felt desire to raise all students problem solving abilities.”

Richard McCombs from Statesboro High School in Georgia was named SECME Co-Teacher of the Year with Ms. DeWitt.  The 2013 SECME National Co-Teachers of the Year will be recognized on June 22 at an “Evening of Elegance” celebration sponsored by the ExxonMobil Foundation to be held during the 37th Annual SECME Summer Institute, hosted this year by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, from June 16-23, 2013

For more information please contact Bruce Wear at bruce.wear@palmbeachschools.org.

First African-American In Space Marks 30th Anniversary Of Flight

FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN SPACE MARKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FLIGHT

When NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off on August 30, 1983, one 
crewmember chuckled with excitement all the way into space, and he 
made history along the way. 

Thirty years later, Guion S. "Guy" Bluford's memories of his historic 
flight (STS-8) are just as vivid as they were on that summer night. 
It was the first Space Shuttle launch and landing at night and the 
first time an African-American flew into space. 

"It was around midnight and it was raining," Bluford recalls today. 
"We came down the elevator, heading to 'the bird,' what we called the 
Shuttle, and all these people were standing there cheering us on. 
When the clock counted down and we took off, I just laughed, it was 
so much fun," he said. 

Though his achievement instantly thrust him into the spotlight as a 
role model for young African-Americans, Bluford says his goal was 
never to be the first African-American in space. "I recognized the 
importance of it, but I didn't want to be a distraction for my crew," 
he said. "We were all contributing to history and to our continued 
exploration of space." 

Instead, Bluford says his goal was "to make others feel comfortable" 
with African-Americans in space. 

"I felt I had to do the best job I could for people like the Tuskegee 
Airmen, who paved the way for me, but also to give other people the 
opportunity to follow in my footsteps," Bluford said. The Tuskegee 
Airmen made history as the first black flying squadron in World War 
II. 

Bluford's interest in flying dates back to his days in junior high 
school, making model airplanes and wanting to learn more about jet 
and rocket engines. Though he wanted to become an aerospace engineer, 
he became an Air Force fighter pilot in 1966, eventually flying 
combat missions over Vietnam. When he returned from the war, Bluford 
began teaching others to fly, but soon decided he was ready to learn 
more about flying at a much higher altitude. 

In 1977 he applied to NASA to become an astronaut. A year later, he 
was selected for the program, along with two other African-Americans, 
Fred Gregory and Ronald McNair. But it wasn't until 1982, in a 
meeting with George Abbey, then director of flight crew operations at 
NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC), that Bluford realized he was 
headed to space. 

"Dale Gardner, Dan Brandenstein, Dick Truly and I were all sitting in 
Abbey's office," he recalls. "Abbey said, 'I'm looking for a crew for 
STS-8, and I was wondering if you were interested?' It was quite a 
thrill." 

Before the flight, NASA kept Bluford out of the news media spotlight, 
so he could focus on his mission. It also helped; much of the 
attention was still focused on Sally Ride, who had just made history 
on the previous Shuttle flight as the first American woman in space. 

Bluford and the crew of STS-8, including fifth crewmember Bill 
Thornton, trained at JSC for 15 months, before heading to Kennedy 
Space Center, Fla., for their rainy launch early on Aug. 30. 

With the cockpit dark, Bluford recalls fellow astronaut Shannon Lucid, 
who would fly on five future Shuttle missions, strapping him into his 
seat between Brandenstein, the pilot, and Shuttle Commander Truly. 
The clock counted down, and the Challenger lifted off. Over the next 
six days, Bluford and the crew deployed INSAT-1B, a multipurpose 
Indian satellite, and they conducted medical measurements to 
understand the effects of space flight on the human body.

The one thing he didn't have to worry about was his appetite. "We had 
little sandwiches tied to our seats, and when we got on orbit a 
couple of crewmembers weren't feeling well as they adapted to space, 
so they passed on lunch," Bluford said. "I felt fine. I not only ate 
my lunch, but part of theirs, too," he said. 

Following Challenger's successful early morning landing at 12:30 a.m., 
Sept. 5, 1983, Bluford went on a three-month national speaking tour, 
thanking the public for supporting him, the crew of STS-8 and the 
Shuttle program. He was a crewmember on three more Shuttle missions, 
STS-61A, STS-39 and STS-53, before retiring from the Astronaut Corps 
in 1993. "I was very lucky to have had four successful missions," 
Bluford said. "When you went out to the pad with me, everything 
pretty much went as planned." 

For more information about Guy Bluford, on the Internet, visit: 

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/bluford-gs.html
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/workinginspace/bluford_1st_african_amer.html

Seminole SECME fieldtrip to Kennedy Space Center, FL

NASA Kennedy Space Center hosted a college recruitment fair for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors showcasing STEM education opportunities available at top colleges and universities across the nation. The Air Force and its industry partners launched WGS-5, the fifth Wideband Global Satellite Communications spacecraft, into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV booster fired from Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida, at 8:27 p.m. Eastern on May 24.

TEACHERS FROM POINCIANA ELEMENTARY AND ATLANTIC HIGH SCHOOL SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN NASA MICROGRAVITY EXPERIENCE PROJECT

West Palm Beach, Fla., May 17, 2013 — Two SECME coordinators, Kris Swanson from Poinciana Elementary, and Chris Perry from Atlantic High, and their two teammates have been selected by NASA to build an experiment that they will conduct with their students this spring, and then fly on NASA’s Microgravity Aircraft this summer.


Kris Swanson, Lisa Saunders, Vicki Spitalnick, and Jenn Andrews from Poinciana Elementary STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Magnet School, and Chris Perry from Atlantic will spend ten days at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, this July to undergo training and learn more about microgravity and its effects on spacecraft and astronauts. At the end of the week, the teachers will take turns flying on the Microgravity trainer and conducting the experiment.

The experiment is titled “How Is Convection Affected By Microgravity?” It will utilize a small tank with heaters and coolers attached to it that will create a stable convection cell within it, and record the motion of the cell using video and temperature sensors. Students at Poinciana and Atlantic will run the experiment numerous times this spring in 1g, and hypothesize how convection may occur differently at 0g and 2g. This July, the teachers will repeat the student’s experiments in a reduced gravity aircraft, also known as the “Weightless Wonder.” Imagine the student’s excitement at their teachers floating for brief periods of weightlessness and microgravity.

Poinciana STEM Magnet school allows the students the opportunity to develop, create and hypothesize about hands-on experiments analyzing and sharing the results with other students to enhance the overall learning experience. The science program at Atlantic High is part of an International Baccalaureate magnet with a very strong emphasis on science, math, and technology. Students are not permitted to repeat the experiment on the reduced gravity flight themselves, but their teachers will bring back video and still pictures to help share their flight experiences as well as the matching data of 0g and 2g convection for the students to learn from.

Not only has this experience brought out the interest and curiosity of the students and teachers, but a group of engineers from several local companies and FAU have volunteered to assist with the coding, programming and building of the data recorder and the construction of the tank for the experiment. The engineers include Gabriel Goldstein from Anidea Engineering in Wellington, Ben Aiken, Adam Gresh, Ben Rigas, and Luis Moss from Modernizing Medicine in Boca Raton, Mahesh Neelakanta from FAU College of Engineering.

You can follow the team’s progress as they build the experiment, conduct it in 1g with their students, and fly it in microgravity this summer through their website http://microgravity.poincianastem.org. The team is looking for sponsors to fund the building of their device and the travel expenses for the teachers’ trips to Houston this summer.

If you would like to contribute, checks can be made out to Poinciana Elementary School, 1203 N. Seacrest Blvd Boynton Beach, Fl 33435…. Memo Microgravity Team. Sponsors names and/or logos will be placed on the website and the banner which will fly in the “Weightless Wonder” aircraft this summer.

For more information, contact Lisa Lee at lisa.lee@palmbeachschools.org or call 561-739-5700.

About The School District of Palm Beach County

The School District of Palm Beach County is the eleventh largest in the nation and the fifth largest in the state of Florida with 185 schools, serving more than 177,000 students who speak 150 languages and dialects. As the largest employer in Palm Beach County, the School District has nearly 21,000 associates, including 12,627 teachers. To learn more about The School District of Palm Beach County, please visitwww.palmbeachschools.org.

NASA KSC Lunabotics Mining Competition STEM College Recruitment Fair

College Recruitment Fair for High School Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors

High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to participate in the Lunabotics College Recruitment Fair at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. NASA is hosting a college recruitment event focused on connecting high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education opportunities available at top colleges and universities across the nation. In addition, NASA scientists and engineers will be available to answer questions about specific majors and technical career paths. Click here to register for the Lunabotics College Recruitment Fair.

In a dream you can cheat architecture into impossible shapes. That let's you create closed loops, like the Penrose steps. The infinite staircase.

Search for the Escherian Stairwell at Imagine RIT
Student film director hopes to inspire awe about the myths of RIT

Is it possible for a staircase to violate the laws of physics and basic logic by looping back into itself? This is one of the questions Michael Lacanilao, a film and animation graduate student at RIT, examines in his video series and Imagine RIT exhibit The Escherian Stairwell.

Lacanilao created the video series, “Can You Imagine,” to highlight the many interesting facts, stories and myths of RIT. The exhibit, located in Artistic Alley in Gannett Hall room A171, will help festivalgoers search for the stairwell and give them a behind the scenes look at “Can You Imagine.”

“Four years can go by quickly and a lot of us don’t have the time to learn about all the things that RIT does and offers,” says Lacanilao. “When we take the time to venture outside our daily routines, we find that it really is the place where the left brain and right brain collide. I’m proud to be a part of that.”

To watch the third episode of “Can You Imagine,” which spotlights the Escherian Stairwell, go to youtube.com/watch?v=iBY4HaAngaA.

Rocketeers Advance to Nationals

At its May 15 meeting the school board recognized Seminole Ridge SECME as overall champions in the 2013 district Olympiad model rocketry contest. Team Osprey now advances to the SECME national competition next month at Embry-Riddle College of Engineering in Daytona Beach. Congrats!
 

(Photo, L-R: brothers Nick Smith and Sam Smith, Kim Smith [no relation] with championship certificate.)

Science and Technology Knowledge Quiz

Do you know more about science and technology than the average American? Take a 13-question quiz to test your knowledge of scientific concepts. http://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/science-knowledge/ Then see how you did in comparison with the 1,006 randomly sampled adults asked the same questions in a national poll conducted by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian magazine.

Correlation Implies Causation

Published on May 2, 2013: Fox News hosts wonder why Americans know so little. Really.



You should Take our 13-question quiz to test your knowledge of scientific concepts!

2013 SECME Teachers of the Year have Roots in Palm Beach County, FL

SECME, Inc. (formerly the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering) has selected Dawn DeWitt from Palm Springs Community Middle School in Palm Beach County, Florida, and Richard McCombs from Statesboro High School in Statesboro, GA as the 2013 SECME National Co-Teachers of the Year.

McCombs and DeWitt will be recognized June 22, at an “Evening of Elegance” celebration sponsored by ExxonMobil to be held during the 37th Annual SECME Summer Institute, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, June 16-23.

McCombs was surprised with the announcement Wednesday afternoon during the school’s weekly faculty meeting by SECME representatives from the Georgia Institute of Technology via Internet, Bulloch County Superintendent of Schools Charles Wilson, SHS Principal Marty Waters and members of the SHS staff. “I thought this was an announcement about Georgia Southern becoming the 44th SECME member university in the nation,” McCombs said. “I couldn’t do this without all of you,” McCombs expressed to his faculty peers.

According to a statement released by SECME (formerly the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering), the two outstanding educators were selected from a pool of nominees based on submission of extensive portfolios that were adjudicated by a panel of educator and community leaders. SECME also stated that the co-winners “demonstrated exemplary accomplishments in building and/or sustaining a successful SECME school program through creative and enriching curricular/extracurricular activities, thereby increasing the number of historically under-represented students who are interested in, and academically prepared for, studies in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).”

The Stability of Thy Times

“Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy time." - Isaiah 33:6 (KJV)

Wisdom, 30 Rockefeller Plaza

"Creativity and Imagination shall be the stability of thy times." - Lego Store at Rockefeller Center

Fuel for Thought

Fuel for Thought Prepares High School Students for Our Global Energy Economy

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The concept of energy is central to all the science disciplines, seamlessly connecting science, technology, and mathematics. For high school and upper middle school teachers, NSTA’s Fuel for Thought comprises inquiry-based activities, lesson plans, and case studies designed to help teach increased awareness of energy, environmental concepts, and the related issues.

Drawn from NSTA’s award-winning, peer-reviewed journals, Fuel for Thought is divided into three overarching segments for learning and teaching: Student Activities and Investigations includes several activities that tackle such topics as “Energy, Heat, and Temperature,” “Vehicles and Fuels,” and “Living Connections.” Student Projects and Case Studies includes examples of extensive, question-driven student projects, and the last section, Issues in Depth, provides background content knowledge for deeper understanding of the critical energy issues facing the world today.

These interesting and meaningful investigations demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of energy, preparing students for the complex reality of our global energy economy.

You can browse sample pages of Fuel for Thought free at http://goo.gl/lZszT or at the NSTA Science Store website.

For additional information or to purchase Fuel for Thought and other books from NSTA Press, visit the NSTA Science Store at www.nsta.org/store. To order by phone, call 800-277-5300 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET weekdays. The 408-page book is priced at $25.95 and discount-priced for NSTA members at $20.76

Moby - an idea for water rocket seminar

Idea for decorating a water rocket: paint orange and details for a Moby head. Not sure how aerodynamic it will be, but it will look like a winner.



Moby and Lily Landstrom

Moby and Mr. Landstrom

Ever wonder how spaceships leap off the planet and fly into outer space? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will teach you the basics of space flight! First, you’ll get a brief lesson on the physical forces that send spacecraft zooming into space. Next, you’ll learn some of the main concepts of rocketry, including the all-important force called thrust. You’ll also gain an understanding of the two basic types of rockets and how they work to get spacecraft off the ground. And you’ll learn a bit about various types of spacecraft and the rockets they use to become space-bound. So strap in and get ready for the countdown to begin--this movie is really out of this world!

"A is for Ampere"

Ladyada’s “E is for Electronics” is a coloring book adventure with electronic components and their inventors. Makers of all ages can learn, color, and share common parts and historical figures throughout history. Explore the world of electronics with Ladyada as your guide!

Here’s an excerpt: “A diode lets electrons flow in only one direction. It works like a switch: when current is flowing one way, the switch is on, but when current tries to flow the other way, the switch turns off. Sir John Ambrose Fleming is best known for inventing the diode, originally called the kenotron.”

Blood Drives in Danger?

Blood Drives in Danger?
by Cameron Edlund, Ridge staff writer
Originally appeared in The Ridge, the school newspaper for Seminole Ridge High, Volume 8, Issue 14

Our school hosts blood drives throughout the year, and science teacher Mrs.Shawna Ahmad coordinates those drives with help from the National Honor Society blood drive committee, resulting in our students donating the most blood of any school in Palm Beach County for some time now.

If you happened to be in the courtyard during the last drive, you saw science students launching bottle rockets in a spectacular fashion. Hundreds of rockets were launched, labeled—as an incentive to give—with the names of those who donated. Twenty-eight rockets, launched before any others, were fired off in honor of those who died in the Sandy Hook school shootings. It was a touching ceremony to watch, and a pretty cool one.

Unfortunately, the system that worked for so long was changed for the last drive, and maybe for many to come. Students who wished to participate used to be able to choose any class to ‘skip’ to donate blood. Of course they all chose their worst class, usually a ‘core’ class, to skip. The core class teachers had had enough, leading to new restrictions: students are no longer allowed to cut a ‘core’ class to give blood, so many don’t bother signing up for the drive.

Along with the food and the reward of saving lives, kids donated in order to skip class. Sound ugly? What can you expect? We're just kids! And without the ‘skip class’ incentive, blood donations have dropped significantly—you could see how few people were sitting in the waiting room to donate. Unlike in previous years where we were packed like sardines, no one struggled to find a seat.

We must ask the ‘core’ teachers: is this new restriction really worth it? Is missing one class that wrong? It might be any of us—or them—lying on a table someday in need of blood!

Going to Mars With MAVEN Student Art Contest

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission, also known as MAVEN, is set to launch to the Red Planet in November 2013. And your artwork could hitch a ride to Mars!

To enter the contest, participants must be ages 5-17. All artwork must be original. The contest is open to students worldwide. Entries are due April 8, 2013. The public will vote to select the winner. Winning artwork will be used on a DVD label that will fly to Mars on the MAVEN spacecraft.

For more information and to submit your artwork, visit http://lasp.colorado.edu/maven/goingtomars/art-contest/.

Banner Brainstorm: a smART stART to inspire ART imagination

Click on the banner brainstorm template PDF. It may be useful starting point to plan the SECME banner. I give each student a copy of the banner brainstorm and let them work out their ideas of placement, proportion, and use colored pencils. Here's a banner brainstorm template that opens in Microsoft Word for editting.

If someone tells you to write a poem on a piece of paper, it helps you when they say specifically make it a sonnet of 14 lines and an alternative abab rhyme schem. It's a lot easier to ensure the quality of the end product. So when beginning the banner with Seminole SECME, I share the following mathematical concepts. You might find them interesting:

BrainPOP: Scale Drawing
Like to draw in a big way? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby show you how to resize images and use scale drawing to make pictures larger and smaller! They’ll guide you through a sample problem to help you figure out how to use ratios to find the scale of your original image and that of the final product. You’ll also see what can happen if your height and width scales are different. Lastly, you’ll discover how using a grid can help you keep things nice and neat. Anyone can be an artist!
Watch the Math movie about Scale Drawing


BrainPOP: Proportions Losing your sense of proportion? Regain it with this BrainPOP movie, as Tim and Moby teach you all about ratios or proportions! You’ll find out how to figure out the price of a movie ticket in proportion to average monthly income — and how to compare it to prices from earlier decades. You’ll also learn how to set up a proportion problem, including where to put the ‘x’ and how to cross-multiply in order to get the right answer. Finally, you’ll see how proportions can be used in any number of real-life situations!
Watch the Math movie about Proportions

[ED NOTE: post originally published September 11, 2009. Revised March 18, 2013]

Pi to 314 Places

In celebration of Pi Day at Seminole Ridge High School in Loxahatchee, FL, students in Mu Alpha Theta math honor society and SECME engineering club have decorated the courtyard in chalk around the circumference of the circular planters with the digits of pi to 314 places.

Pi Day is an annual celebration commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi) -- the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Pi Day is observed on March 14 (or 3/14 in month/day date format), since 3, 1 and 4 are the three most significant digits of π in the decimal form.

27th DiBiFiLiTi brings 300+ for $4000

The 27th annual Drop it, Build it, Fly it, Launch it, Thrill it Engineering Competition was held Saturday, March 9 at the South Florida Science Museum. More then 300 kids from elementary to high school competed for $4,000 in cash prizes in five different design contests: built bridges, protection for eggs, paper airplanes, model rockets and roller coasters. The competition was judged by the Florida Engineering Society.

Cody Summerlin talking with Royal Palm Beach HS SECME students before the Launch It water rocket contest

Summerlin's rocket Osprey on the launch pad

Palm Beach Post: Engineering competition draws 300 to South Florida Science Museum
WLRN: U.S. Lags In Science & Tech Education, While Science Fairs Boom In Palm Beach County

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Spring 2013

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In the Spring 2013 issue of the Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter

- Hawks Win Second Place at 2013 School District Olympiad
- NextEra Energy SECME Generator Build Competition
- Alumni Advise on Surviving College
- Math Midway exhibit at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Ft. Lauderdale
- Seminole SECME remembers Sandy Hook Elementary
- A Shout Out to Our Sponsors

Click here to download the attached PDF copy of our Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Spring 2013 issue
Hawk Talk Winter 2013

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Mousetrap Cars: It's Not a Snap

Mission Solar System

NASA and DESIGN SQUAD NATION team up to inspire a new generation of engineers. This guide has six space-based hands-on challenges for school and afterschool programs.
http://pbskids.org/designsquad/pdf/parentseducators/dsn_nasa_missionsolarsystem_complete.pdf

In a universe filled with planets and moons, comets and asteroids, imagine a robot-controlled spaceship that can send a drill deep below the surface and pull up materials never before seen by human eyes. What secrets does an alien core hold? What mysteries will it reveal?

For more than half a century, NASA has inspired the scientific imaginations of young people through the challenge of space exploration. Now, the excitement of space engineering is available for kids in the classroom and in after-school programs through Mission: Solar System; from NASA and Design Squad Nation.

Mission: Solar System is a free, curriculum-based educational resource that includes everything you need to bring the exciting challenges of real NASA engineers to life. There are

• leader notes with detailed instructions for each challenge and ideas for making curriculum connections
• kids handouts’ with helpful tips and illustrations that enable kids to come up with their own unique solutions to each challenge.
• video profiles of young engineers that explore the direct link between each challenge in Mission: Solar System and real-world problem-solving at NASA.
• and do-it-yourself videos are included to model how a group of kids can brainstorm a variety of creative solutions.

Hawk Alumni Return to the Engineering Eyrie

Seminole Ridge High School hosted its annual alumni panel for current Seminole Ridge SECME students, in which former Hawks shared their thoughts on college and on life after high school.

The wide ranging talk covered from first day to financial aid, from meal plans to majoring in math. Cindy Nicole Dosch (Class of 2011), an accounting major at UF, and Caitlin Nicole Miller (Class of 2012), an engineering major at FAU, returned to their alma mater during their spring break to speak with Seminole SECME for an hour.

“Many seniors found the event helpful and appreciated the alumni sharing their college experiences,” guidance coordinator Sandy Baldwin said.




(left to right) Coach Ed Batchelor, Captains Cindy Dosch (2010-2011), Sam Smith (2012-2013), and Caitlin Miller (2011-2012), surrounded by multiyear members of Seminole Ridge SECME: (second row) James Carter, Cody Summerlin, Kadeem Spenser, Coach Erich Landstrom, Jessie Mendheim, and Ashleigh Cotterell



(left to right) Captains Caitlin Miller (2011-2012), Sam Smith (2012-2013), Cindy Dosch (2010-2011), and Coach Ed Batchelor

Roosevelt Middle Students Learn Real-World Applications For Engineering

In celebration of National Engineering Week, February 18-22, over 30 engineers from Lockheed Martin visited the pre-engineering magnet students at Roosevelt Middle School on Thursday, February 21.

The engineers worked on a series of building activities with approximately 240 pre-engineering students over a five hour period. The students were divided into small work groups and assigned the task of building a tower at least six inches tall that would support at least one can of tuna. The only materials the students were given were toothpicks and Dots candies. The small collaborative work groups brainstormed ideas, agreed on a concept, and constructed towers of all sizes and shapes under the watchful eyes of the team of Lockheed Martin engineers. Prizes were awarded to teams that achieved the goal.

“We learned real-world applications for engineering,” said sixth grader John-Mark Phillips. “We also learned that teamwork is very important when putting something together.”

Lockheed Martin engineers discussed the work being conducted at their Riviera Beach location. The engineers brought video, allowing students to see the products currently being worked on, including the Marlin Autonomous Underwater Vehicle™. Marlin is a small yellow submarine that inspects deepwater oil and gas structures, especially important following severe weather, to make sure the structure is safe to resume production. Its sensors and imaging equipment make it ideally critical to Florida’s maritime industries, resources and economy.

The Lockheed Martin engineers also talked about and showed video of the Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle. This is an unmanned, semi-submersible, semi-autonomous vehicle that uses sensors and imaging equipment to detect underwater mines to keep the sailors out of the minefield.

Other engineers then discussed their backgrounds, why they became engineers, and what they do on a daily basis. This was followed by a lengthy question and answer period, which gave our engineers of the future a chance to talk to current engineers. Students were curious about types of engineering jobs currently available, the types of math classes the Lockheed engineers took when they were in school, and how much money engineers make.

Lockheed Martin is a business partner with Roosevelt Middle and sits on the school’s magnet advisory board.

For more information, please contact Todd LaVogue, Magnet Coordinator, at 822-0261 or todd.lavogue@palmbeachschools.org.

Seeking Female Engineering Majors! – Students Learn from MIT Women Graduates

The School District of Palm Beach County was one of 10 school districts nationwide selected to participate in the MIT Women’s Initiative Program. The Women’s Initiative is a non-profit student group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that seeks to increase the number of females enrolled in engineering majors.

Female MIT undergraduates visited seven middle and high schools in Palm Beach County to speak with female students at each school about the importance of mathematics and science courses in preparation for engineering careers. All participants were given the opportunity to interact with two female engineering students as well as participate in a challenging engineering activity.

Lindsey Hornyak, a freshman at Boca Raton High School, said, “It was really fun and interesting to learn about the different types of engineering with my friends. I never knew there were so many kinds of engineering, and that I would consider engineering as my career.”

The following schools participated in the program: Boca Raton High School, Glades Central High School, Forest Hill High School, Lake Worth Middle School, Olympic Heights High School, Palm Beach Lakes High School, and West Boca Raton High School.

“The MIT Women’s Initiative provided our students with an opportunity to interact with female role models who have succeeded in the STEM fields. It is our hope that this will help our female students develop positive beliefs about women excelling and taking leadership roles in these fields. We are proud to have been selected for this program,” said Wendy Spielman King, K-12 Science Manager for the School District of Palm Beach County.

Kathryn Neinas, STEM Instructor at Boca Raton High School, said, “Having MIT female students come and present to our top STEM freshmen female students was an amazing experience. Exposing my young students to career opportunities that they may have never known about was very rewarding to me.”

For more information about the MIT Women’s Initiative, visit their website at http://web.mit.edu/wi/.

For more information, contact Wendy Spielman King at 561-357-1152 or via email at wendy.spielman@palmbeachschools.org.

MTV Tip of Month - Graphite Powder at Michaels

Michaels Arts & Crafts stores sell Revell Pinewood Derby Graphite Powder. Increase your racing speed and decrease friction – just use odor-free Graphite Powder! Applying a puff of powder is all it takes to keep wheels and axles lubed to perfection. Use only on washable surfaces. Includes: One 0.25 oz. tube of Graphite Powder. Age: 8+

Coaches, the Michaels Teacher Discount now will get you an extra 15% off every day. If you’re a teacher, just flash your educator I.D. the next time you’re checking out at Michaels to get your discount!

"IM" IS OUT - THINK IT'S POSSIBLE! Hawks Fly 2nd Place Finish

THINK IT'S imPOSSIBLE? THINK sySTEMatically. THINK SECME! Seminole Ridge SECME takes second place during district engineering Olympiad

Seminole Ridge SECME is the winner of five trophies and ribbons at the 2013 SECME Olympiad engineering competition, including second place overall for Palm Beach County! Teams from sixteen high schools in Palm Beach County participated in the engineering contests at Santaluces Community High School in Lantana on Saturday, February 23, 2013. Students squared off in competition to race mousetrap powered model cars, launch model rockets, build and break model balsa wood bridges; in general knowledge games during the "Brain Bowl"; and in literary and artistic competitions with essays, banners, and posters.

(Photo: the SRHS SECME team; front row, L-R: Mr. Ed Batchelor and Mr. Erich Landstrom; back row: Nicholas Smith, Kimberly Smith, Kyle Reilly, Patrick Dickson, Kyle Whirlow, Victoria Simmons, James Carter, Cody Summerlin, Jarrett Rimel, and Sam Smith.)

The competition of cogitators was fierce. And the Hawks soared high: honorable mention - balsawood bridge; second place - banner; second place - water rocket (Team Seniors); first place - water rocket (Team Osprey); second place overall in the entire district! Coaches Erich Landstrom and Ed Batchelor, the school SECME coordinators, and principal James Campbell congratulate the Hawks on their awesome achievements.

(Click on the first picture to flip through the Seminole SECME team competing at Santaluces High School for the 2013 Palm Beach County School District SECME Olympiad on Saturday, February 23, 2013)

20130213 SDPBC SECME Olympiad

Elementary Students Building Bridges, Bottle Rockets and More In 2013 SECME Olympiad

Nearly seven hundred students from 51 schools recently participated in the 2013 Palm Beach County SECME Elementary Olympiad at Santaluces High School.  SECME’s mission is to increase the pool of historically under-represented and under-served students who will be prepared to enter and complete post-secondary studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), thus creating a diverse and globally competitive workforce.

Overall District Winners:

• Honorable Mention:    Galaxy Elementary
• Third Place:                 Timber Trace Elementary   
• Second Place:              Del Prado Elementary
• First Place:                  Roosevelt Elementary School

The following schools placed in individual events:

National Engineers Week

At the Board of County Commissioners meeting on February 5, 2013, Commissioner Shelley Vana presented a proclamation to Florida Engineering Society President Jimmy Richie declaring February 17 to 23, 2013 as National Engineers Week in Palm Beach County, FL.

WHEREAS, National Engineers Week was established in 1951 to help increase public understanding of the engineering profession and to recognize those who professionally protect the public’s health, safety and welfare; and

WHEREAS, Engineers have used their scientific and technical knowledge and skills in creative and innovative ways to fulfill society's needs; and

WHEREAS, Engineers face the major technological challenges of our time—from rebuilding towns devastated by natural disasters to designing an information superhighway that will speed our country through the twenty-first century; and

WHEREAS, Engineers are encouraging our young math and science students to realize the practical power of their knowledge; and

WHEREAS, we will look more than ever to Engineers and their knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of the future; and

WHEREAS, we applaud the Engineers working in Palm Beach County for the significant contributions they make to enhance our local quality of life;

Now therefore, I, Shelley Vana, Chair of the Palm Beach County Commission, do proclaim February 17 – 23, 2013 National Engineers Week in Palm Beach County, Florida.

'I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing)'

There have been a lot of songs written about space, but how many songs have actually been written in space?

Watch the video above as astronaut Chris Hadfield, from aboard the International Space Station, performs "I.S.S. (Is Somebody Singing)" with Ed Robertson, the rest of the Barenaked Ladies and the Wexford Gleeks from Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, who were all at the CBC studios in Toronto.

The song, which was written by Hadfield and Robertson in partnership with Music Monday, CBC Music and the Canadian Space Agency, explores what it's like to look down on the Earth from outer space. It will also be the official song for the 2013 edition of Music Monday, which takes place on May 6.

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Comets Coming Soon!

NASA Science News for Feb. 6, 2013
A comet falling in from the distant reaches of the solar system could become a naked-eye object in early March. This is Comet Pan-STARRS's first visit to the inner solar system, so surprises are possible as its virgin ices are exposed to intense solar heating for the first time.

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NASA Science News for Jan. 18, 2013
Astronomers are keeping a close eye on newly-discovered Comet ISON, which could become visible in broad daylight later this year when it skims through the atmosphere of the sun. Some reporters have dubbed ISON the "Comet of the Century," but experts aren't yet sure how bright the sungrazer will become.

Infinite Diversity

"The Glory of Creation is in its Infinite Diversity." - Gene Roddenberry, creator of STAR TREK

Hawk Senior Wins Tech Service Scholarship

Congratulations to Hawk tech support student Mitchell Lafferty (photo, left). Mitch is on the VEX robotics team and is the winner of the Palm Beach County school district’s 2013 Pat Oliphant Memorial Student Technology Service Scholarship. Lafferty will receive the $500.00 award at the May 15 school board meeting.

If You (Drop It, Build It, Fly It, Launch It, Thrill It), They Will Come

Just a reminder: after the Olympiad this month, next month is Drop It, Build It, Fly It, Launch It, Thrill It - one of the most popular engineering events for students in South Florida.

DiBiFiLiTi will take place Saturday, March 9, 2013 in Dreher Park, from 8am - 3pm. The South Florida Science Museum, in partnership with the Florida Engineering Society, invites students compete for cash prizes in five different areas:

• (Drop It) The perfect egg container to protect it from a 3-story drop
• (Build It) An unbreakable bridge
• (Fly It) The most aerodynamic paper airplane
• (Launch It) The ultimate water bottle rocket
• (Thrill It) A thrilling roller coaster

Cash prizes awarded to 1st - 4th place winners for elementary, middle and high school categories. Last year, my daughter won $75 for her water rocket, so tell your SECME students its time to turn their payload into a paycheck!

Register now at 
http://www.sfsm.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.details&content_id=297

I See Icy Worlds: Titan & Europa Essay Contest

For students in the United States in grades 5-12, NASA will soon be holding an essay contest about Saturn's moon Titan & Jupiter's moon Europa. The contest deadline will be February 28, 2013. The contest website is here: http://icyworlds.jpl.nasa.gov/contest/. Questions about the Titan & Europa essay contest can be sent to: titaneuropa@jpl.nasa.gov

The topic of the Titan & Europa essay is either a mission to Saturn's moon Titan or to Jupiter's moon Europa. Both of these missions would study a world that is exciting for astrobiologists(*).

Your assignment is to decide which of the proposed missions would be more interesting to you, and why. Be creative, be original, and ask good questions that you hope the mission would answer.

The Titan mission would include a Titan orbiter and a Titan balloon. The Europa mission would include a Europa orbiter and a Europa lander. The orbiters, balloon, and lander would each have science instruments to study either Titan or Europa.

In your essay, you can include information about what science instruments you would put on the orbiter and balloon or lander, if you wish, based on what you hope to find on Titan or Europa.

Winning essays will be posted on a NASA website, and winners and their classes will be invited to participate in a videoconference or teleconference with NASA scientists.

Contest videos about Astrobiology, Titan, and Europa can be found here:
http://icyworlds.jpl.nasa.gov/contest/videos/

(*) Astrobiologists are scientists who study the origins, evolution, future and distribution of life in the universe. The main question astrobiologists are trying to answer is: "Is there life beyond Earth?"

NASA Beams Mona Lisa to the Moon

As part of the first demonstration of laser communication with a satellite at the moon, scientists with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) beamed an image of the Mona Lisa to the spacecraft from Earth.

The iconic image traveled nearly 240,000 miles in digital form from the Next Generation Satellite Laser Ranging (NGSLR) Station at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, to the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) instrument on the spacecraft. By transmitting the image piggyback on laser pulses that are routinely sent to track LOLA's position, the team achieved simultaneous laser communication and tracking.

Water Rocket Alternative Fuels

Seminole Ridge High students use blood drive to honor Sandy...

Seminole Ridge High students use blood drive to honor Sandy Hook, Challenger tragedies


By Jason Schultz
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

THE ACREAGE — Seminole Ridge High School students on Monday held a blood drive and launched water rockets to honor victims of two tragedies, one recent and one decades old.

Students held their annual blood drive and dedicated it to honor the memory of the 26 people killed during the December school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Newtown, Conn. — though no blood or money is being donated from the event directly to any Sandy Hook-related charity efforts.

For each pint of blood donated by students and staff, the students — who were part of the school’s science and engineering club — launched a water rocket.

The blood drive event on Monday was also held to mark the anniversary of the death of local teacher Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to fly in space. Her death during the Challenger space shuttle disaster happened exactly 27 years ago on Jan. 28, 1986.

Seminole Ridge High Students Honor Sandy Hook Victims &Space Shuttle Astronauts

Seminole Ridge High Students Honor Sandy Hook Victims

Posted by: Natalia Arenas

- January 29th, 2013

Seminole Ridge High School students in the SECME Engineering Club and the National Honor Society chapter hosted a special blood drive to honor the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary.

 

Seminole Ridge HS Science students in Mr. Landstrom's AP Physics class.

The Hawks have yearly hosted a “GIVE BLOOD—IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE” blood drive that recognizes that giving blood is a small sacrifice with great rewards. Each donation can help to save up to three lives. For every pint given, SECME celebrates by letting the student launch a personalized pressurized water rocket launch.

Working in teams, SECME students constructed water rockets from two-liter soft drink bottles and other materials, which are propelled by the “fuel” of a pint of water and air compressed to 70 psi.

This year, to honor and reflect on the loss of the twenty children and six educators in the community of Newtown, CT who were the victims of the senseless and horrific acts of violence at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Seminole Ridge High students released 26 water rockets into the sky, dedicated toward each individual killed in the shooting.

January 28^th is also significant as the day of remembrance for Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to fly in space. McAuliffe was selected from among more than 11,000 applicants from the education profession for entrance into the astronaut ranks. She was planning to conduct experiments and teach two lessons from Space Shuttle Challenger. On January 28, 1986, her spacecraft disintegrated 73 seconds after launch. Blood donations will be dedicated in memory of her and her fellow crewmates.

 

Stephen Peterson and Melissa Garrity hold the mission patch for mission patch and crew portrait for STS-107. STS-107 was the 113th flight of the Space Shuttle program, and the final flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. The seven-member crew died on February 1, 2003 when the Columbia orbiter disintegrated during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

 

Andrea Olave and Jeff Rizzo help dedicate the water rockets. For every pint donated, SECME celebrates by launching a ‘personalized’ water rocket.

 

Alec Gilbert and Cameron Schneider help prepare the remembrance rockets for launch. Working in teams, SECME students constructed water rockets from two-liter soft drink bottles and other materials, which are propelled by the “fuel” of a pint of water and air compressed to 70 psi.

 

For more information contact Erich Landstrom at (561) 422-2600 or via email at erich.landstrom@palmbeachschools.org.

 

 

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Public Affairs Contact: Natalia Arenas – (561) 357-7662 – natalia.arenas@palmbeachschools.org

 

Eyes on the Stars

On January 28, 1986, NASA Challenger mission STS-51-L ended in tragedy when the shuttle exploded 73 seconds after takeoff. On board was physicist Ronald E. McNair, who was the second African American to enter space. But first, he was a kid with big dreams in Lake City, South Carolina.

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Life of an astronaut - Jerry Carr

fMRI and THINKing sySTEMically

fMRI and THINKing sySTEMically

an essay by Sam Smith, Age 17

A school of sociology called functionalism recognizes crime as a necessary part of society. There are some sociologists, such as Emile Durkheim, who would go so far as to say crime has positive benefits to society as a whole.  While it may be hard to believe that crime is beneficial, the majority of people would agree that every society has crime, and nearly everybody has first or secondhand knowledge of what being the victim of a crime is, like I do.  Two days before Halloween when I was in second grade, someone had broken into my home and helped himself to whatever he wanted.  It brought my mom to tears, and it was the first time I had ever seen her cry. Traumatic hardly begins to describe the experience.  However, crime does not go unpunished.  Innovations in technology, such as the fMRI, can help protect us today and have the potential to completely revolutionize tomorrow. Thinking systemically, we scoff at the impossible.

February 2, 2013 - CELLebrate Science with Scripps Florida

Scripps Florida is once again hosting a “CELLebrate” science day at The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens on Saturday, February 2, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  This yearly family-friendly event has something for all ages.  As always, the event is FREE and open to the public!

Scripps Florida staff will be conducting exciting science demonstrations throughout the day.  There will also be interactive exhibits that will open up the minds of all who visit.  Scripps Florida scientists will be there to discuss their groundbreaking research that is taking place right here in Palm Beach County! 

“As the state of Florida has become a hub for the biotech industry, it is vital that our students and their families understand the impact of biotechnology on maintaining and improving quality of life,” said School District K-12 Science Manager Wendy Spielman.  “The Scripps Florida ‘CELLebrate’ Science day at The Gardens Mall will make the science of biotechnology accessible to our students and the community in a fun, interactive way.  It may also open students’ eyes to a variety of careers paths and fields of study that they may have never considered before.  It will be an outstanding event.”

The School District of Palm Beach County will have its own exhibit as well featuring the winners of the 2012 Palm Beach Regional Science and Engineering Fair.  These students from grades 6-12 will be there to present their own scientific research to the public as a prelude to competing at Florida’s State Science and Engineering Fair in Lakeland, FL in March 2013.

Seminole Ridge Students Honor Sandy Hook Shooting Victims with Blood Drive and Remembrance Rockets.

On Monday, January 28, 2013, Seminole Ridge High School students in the SECME engineering club and the National Honor Society chapter will host a special blood drive to honor the victims of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary.  

The Hawks have yearly hosted a “GIVE BLOOD—IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE” blood drive that recognizes that giving blood is a small sacrifice with great rewards. Each donation can help to save up to three lives. For every pint given, SECME celebrates by letting the student launch a personalized pressurized water rocket launch. Working in teams, SECME students constructed water rockets from two-liter soft drink bottles and other materials, which are propelled by the “fuel” of a pint of water and air compressed to 70 psi.

This year, to honor and reflect on the loss of the twenty children and six educators in the community of Newtown, Connecticut who were the victims of the senseless and horrific acts of violence at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday, December 14, 2012, the NHS and SECME students will release 26 water rockets into the sky, dedicated toward each individual killed in the shooting.

January 28^th is also significant as the day of remembrance for Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to fly in space. McAuliffe was selected from among more than 11,000 applicants from the education profession for entrance into the astronaut ranks. She was planning to conduct experiments and teach two lessons from Space Shuttle Challenger. On January 28, 1986, her spacecraft disintegrated 73 seconds after launch. Blood donations will be dedicated in memory of her and her fellow crewmates.

Donations are accepted at Seminole Ridge on January 28^th from 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Seminole Ridge Community High School is located at 4601 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, Loxahatchee, FL 33470. For directions, click on http://tinyurl.com/SeminoleRidgeHigh to Mapquest a route.

This Is Why We Will Win the Olympiad This Year, Part II

This Is Why We Will Win The Olympiad This Year, Part I

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Winter 2013

In the Winter 2013 issue of the Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk'  newsletter

- White House Rejects Request to Build Death Star; Finds Your Lack of Faith Disturbing!
- Sack Attack by the Seminole Ridge robot in Miami
- Figure This! team of Seven, but How Many Total Students
- SECME Spotlight: Antonyo Woods
- Darwin Eats Cake “#118—Curve of Knowledge and Wonderment”
- Toys: The Inside Story Exhibit at the Science Explorium in Boca
- SECME SUCCESS: Record Shares of Students Finishing School
- Adopt Seminole SECME online: thank you to our sponsors - Publix Super Markets and Publix Super Market Charities

Click here to download the attached PDF copy of our Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Winter 2013 issue
Hawk Talk Winter 2013

Best Salutorian Speech Ever

Andrés Bernardo 2010 Salutatorian Speech for Seminole Ridge Community High School

I’d like to begin by thanking my teachers, my friends, and my mother, who always reminded me that “Life goes on.”

left: Ralph Regis, right: Andres Bernardo
Photo credit: Robert Wenst, Historian, PBCCTM (Palm Beach County Council of Teachers of Mathematics)

Hey. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Andy Bernardo, your salutatorian; nice to meet you. I’m supposed to come up here and make an epic, awe-inspiring speech; something that will give you the urge to jump up and start high-fiving everyone. But I’m not going to quote from someone like a great world leader, or Dr. Seuss. I’ll quote something else.

The album The Dark Side of the Moon, by Pink Floyd - one of the best-selling rock albums of all time - starts with these lyrics:



Breathe, breathe in the air
Don’t be afraid to care
Leave, but don’t leave me
Look around and choose your own ground

I ask each one of you to take these words to heart. Go through life at your own pace, enjoy your time here on Earth, and appreciate all the simple things - breathe in the air.

Live with care and compassion. Love your fellow man and respect not just your own life, but all forms of it - don’t be afraid to care.

Travel the world, experience everything you wish to experience, but also remember where your home is, and who is there waiting for you - leave, but don’t leave me.

And finally, I ask that you all take your respective destinies in your own hands. Seize control of fate, and don’t let fate control you. Look around, and choose your own ground.

Seniors, after all this - after this ceremony that celebrates 13 unforgiving, torturous years of fun and learning - you’ll have an entire lifetime waiting for you. I won’t lie and say your life will be perfect, but it will be as amazing and wonderful as you yourself create it to be. Just remember, every once in a while, to relax, maybe listen to some good music, and breathe.

Once again, congratulations, Seminole Ridge Class of 2010!

The World is Just Awesome

Happy New Years 2013!