Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter August 2012

In the Autumn 2012 issue of the Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk'  newsletter

- Obama Calls Curiosity landing at Mars' Gale Crater "Examples of American know-how and ingenuity...really an amazing accomplishment"
- Mechanical Mayhem at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Ft. Lauderdale
- Figure This! Metric Mathletes - Can Athletes Run Faster Than Cars
- Save the Date!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 3 PM —Seminole SECME Demo Day. New recruits welcome to join!
Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 10 AM-“Robot” Car Wash fundraiser at Burger King
- SECME Spotlight on Captain Sam Smith
- XCKD.COMics “1050—Algebra”
- Hawks Solve to the Fourth Place at PBAU Math Competition

Click here to download the attached PDF copy of our Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Autumn 2012 issue

Hawk Talk Autumn 2012

Marshmallow Launch at the White House Science Fair

The President meets an 8th grader named Joey from Phoenix, AZ at the White House Science Fair and the two launch a marshmallow across the state dining room with Joey's science project - an air cannon.

President honors hard work & top talent at the White House Science Fair.

Remarks by the President at the White House Science Fair

For Immediate Release February 07, 2012 11:53 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you, everybody. Everybody have a seat.

Well, welcome to the White House Science Fair. (Applause.) It is -- just spent some time checking outI some of the projects that were brought here today, and I’ve got to say, this is fun. It’s not every day that you have robots running all over your house. (Laughter.) I am trying to figure out how you got through the metal detectors. I also shot a marshmallow through a air gun, which was very exciting. (Laughter.)

Now, it is fitting that this year’s fair is happening just two days after the Super Bowl. I want to congratulate the New York Giants and all their fans. (Applause.) I just talked to Coach Coughlin; I’m looking forward to having the Giants here at the White House so we can celebrate their achievements. But what I’ve also said -- I’ve said this many times -- is if we are recognizing athletic achievement, then we should also be recognizing academic achievement and science achievement. If we invite the team that wins the Super Bowl to the White House, then we need to invite some science fair winners to the White House as well. (Applause.)

President Obama on Back-to-School: "Set Your Sights High"

This afternoon, students from across the country tuned in as President Obama addressed them directly in his third annual Back-to-School speech . The President encouraged America's students to use their time in school to try new things, discover new passions and hone their skills to prepare themselves for the kind of profession they want in the future:

It starts, obviously, with being the best student that you can be. Now, that doesn’t always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment. It doesn’t mean that you’ve got to get straight As all the time -- although that’s not a bad goal to have. It means that you have to stay at it. You have to be determined and you have to persevere. It means you’ve got to work as hard as you know how to work. And it means that you’ve got to take some risks once in a while. You can’t avoid the class that you think might be hard because you’re worried about getting the best grade if that’s a subject that you think you need to prepare you for your future. You’ve got to wonder. You’ve got to question. You’ve got to explore. And every once in a while, you need to color outside of the lines.

It starts, obviously, with being the best student that you can be. Now, that doesn’t always mean that you have to have a perfect score on every assignment. It doesn’t mean that you’ve got to get straight As all the time -- although that’s not a bad goal to have. It means that you have to stay at it. You have to be determined and you have to persevere. It means you’ve got to work as hard as you know how to work. And it means that you’ve got to take some risks once in a while. You can’t avoid the class that you think might be hard because you’re worried about getting the best grade if that’s a subject that you think you need to prepare you for your future. You’ve got to wonder. You’ve got to question. You’ve got to explore. And every once in a while, you need to color outside of the lines.

That’s what school is for: discovering new passions, acquiring new skills, making use of this incredible time that you have to prepare yourself and give yourself the skills that you’re going to need to pursue the kind of careers that you want. And that’s why when you’re still a student you can explore a wide range of possibilities. One hour you can be an artist; the next, an author; the next, a scientist, or a historian, or a carpenter. This is the time where you can try out new interests and test new ideas. And the more you do, the sooner you’ll figure out what makes you come alive, what stirs you, what makes you excited -- the career that you want to pursue.

The President explained that being engaged in school is not just for the students themselves, but for the country as a whole. He acknowledged that young people today are growing up fast and students have a lot of responsibility to take on, "because you’re not just kids. You’re this country’s future. You’re young leaders. And whether we fall behind or race ahead as a nation is going to depend in large part on you."

President Obama to Address Students Sept. 28, 2011

As SECME students start another year of engineering excellence, President Barack Obama will deliver his third annual Back-to-School Speech at 1:30PM EDT on Wednesday, September 28, 2011.

The President’s Back-to-School Speech is an opportunity to speak directly to students across the country. In past years, President Obama has encouraged students to study hard and take responsibility for their education, urging students to set goals, to believe in themselves, and to be the authors of their own destinies.

The speech will be live streamed so that classrooms across the country may listen to or watch the remarks. For more information about watching the speech, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/back-to-school/

Related Post:
President Obama 1st Address to Students 2009

President Obama 2nd Address to Students 2010

An Evening of Poetry at the White House

May 11, 2011
7:14 P.M. EDT
Remarks by the President at Evening of Poetry at the White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/11/remarks-president-evening-poetry-white-house

The power of poetry is that everybody experiences it differently. There are no rules for what makes a great poem. Understanding it isn’t just about metaphor or meter. Instead, a great poem is one that resonates with us, that challenges us and that teaches us something about ourselves and the world that we live in. As Rita Dove says, “If [poetry] doesn’t affect you on some level that cannot be explained in words, then the poem hasn’t done its job.” Also known as, it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing...

But as a nation built on freedom of expression, poets have always played an important role in telling our American story.

It was after the bombing of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 that a young lawyer named Francis Scott Key penned the poem that would become our National Anthem. The Statue of Liberty has always welcomed the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Soldiers going off to fight in World War II were giving -- given books of poetry for comfort and inspiration. And whenever our nation has faced a great tragedy -– whether it was the loss of a civil rights leader, the crew of a space shuttle, or the thousands of Americans that were lost on a clear September day -– we have turned to poetry when we can’t find quite the right words to express what we’re feeling.

So tonight we continue that tradition by hearing from some of our greatest -– as well as some of our newest -– poets. Billy Collins, who is here with us, calls poetry “the oldest form of travel writing,” because it takes us to places we can only imagine. So in that spirit, I’d like everyone to sit back, or sit on the edge of your seats, and enjoy the journey.

We need to teach our kids that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair.

President Obama made his commitment to science, technology, and education very clear in his remarks on the State of the Union on January 25, 2011: "No country has more successful companies, or grants more patents to inventors and entrepreneurs. We’re the home to the world’s best colleges and universities, where more students come to study than any place on Earth. What’s more, we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea -– the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That’s why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here. It’s why our students don’t just memorize equations, but answer questions like “What do you think of that idea? What would you change about the world? What do you want to be when you grow up?” The future is ours to win. But to get there, we can’t just stand still. As Robert Kennedy told us, “The future is not a gift. It is an achievement.”

Obama orders Mythbusters to create death ray!

Watch MythBusters Wednesday, December 8, 2010 at 9 PM ET/PT

In this extra-special episode of MYTHBUSTERS, Adam and Jamie tackle a request from the President of the United States, Barack Obama. President Obama tells Adam and Jamie that he'd like them to re-test the myth of the Archimedes Solar Ray -- this time with more manpower. The myth, which says that Greek scientist Archimedes set fire to an invading fleet using only mirrors and the sun, has been tested by MYTHBUSTERS twice before (and busted). After developing a unique mirror aiming system, Adam and Jamie use the President's STEM connections and enlist 500 student volunteers ready to light a fire for science!

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Fall 2010

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Fall 2010

In the Fall 2010 issue of the Seminole SECME "Hawk Talk" newsletter
- "Hawk"-tober at the Ridge: brainstorming bridges, banners, and bottle rockets
- Aviation engineering aces from Kimley-Horn and Associates speak at Seminole Ridge.
- Highlights from President Obama's 2nd annual back to school speech
- Figure This! math challenge on the long arm of Lady Liberty
- SECME Spotlight on Brian Bartels
- Be the Dinosaur at the Children's Science Explorium in Boca Raton
- Hawks win Miami VEX Round Up robotics tournament; qualify for 2011 World Championship
- Hawking Talk: Thank you to our sponsors Publix Super Market Charities

Click here to download a PDF copy of our
Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Fall 2010 issue.

PAGE 1

White House Science Fair 2010

President Barack Obama gets down on his hands and knees as he looks at the inner workings of a robot that plays soccer, built by a team from Pennsylvania, as he tours science projects on display in the State Dining Room of the White House. President Obama hosted the White House Science Fair for winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions. October 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Remarks by the President at White House Science Fair

President Obama speaks about the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to the country’s economic future after viewing exhibits from science fair winners from across the country: "Now, if that doesn’t inspire you -- if that doesn’t make you feel good about America and the possibilities of our young people when they apply themselves to science and math, I don’t know what will."

President Obama Announces Goal of Recruiting 10,000 STEM Teachers Over the Next Two Years

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release September 27, 2010

President Obama Announces Goal of Recruiting 10,000 STEM Teachers Over the Next Two Years

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Barack Obama announced a new goal of recruiting 10,000 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers over the next two years. This announcement will move the country forward on the Obama Administration’s ambitious goal of preparing 100,000 STEM teachers over the next decade.

Statement by President Obama: “When I came into office, I set a goal of moving our nation from the middle to the top of the pack in math and science education. Strengthening STEM education is vital to preparing our students to compete in the 21st century economy and we need to recruit and train math and science teachers to support our nation’s students.”

As America’s students lag in math and science when compared to peers around the world, President Obama has made improving STEM education one of his top priorities. President Obama has identified three overarching priorities for STEM education, necessary for laying a new foundation for America’s future prosperity:

- Increasing STEM literacy so all students can think critically in science, math, engineering and technology;
- Improving the quality of math and science teaching so American students are no longer outperformed by those in other nations;
- And expanding STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and minorities.

PCAST STEM ED Report Release

PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORS HIGHLIGHT PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN K-12 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) EDUCATION

New Report Reveals STEM Education-Related Strengths, Weaknesses; Outlines Road Ahead to Regain and Maintain U.S. Competitiveness

America is home to extraordinary assets in science, engineering, and mathematics that, if properly applied within the educational system, could revitalize student interest and increase proficiency in these subjects and support an American economic renewal, according to a new report from an independent council of Presidential advisors.

The new report by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)—20 of the Nation’s leading scientists and engineers appointed by the President to provide advice on a range of topics—makes specific recommendations to better prepare America’s K-12 students in STEM subjects and also to inspire those students—including girls, minorities, and others underrepresented in STEM fields—to challenge themselves with STEM classes, engage in STEM activities outside the school classroom, and consider pursuing careers in those fields.

The Final "E" in SECME - EFFORT

The President's Back to School Speech: "Life is precious, and part of what makes it so wonderful is its diversity, that all of us are different."

This afternoon the President gave his second annual back to school speech, this time in Philadelphia, PA, at at the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School. He told students that while government would do its part to help provide access to a quality education, students still needed to take individual responsibility for their future.

He began by talking to them on the level about what they see in their daily lives, and what might be on their minds even beyond the dreaded end of summer vacation.

The President pledged that government at all levels, working with communities and families, would do its part to make it possible for students to get the best education. But he hammered home the point that the only people who could really make sure that happened were the students themselves, and harkened back to his own childhood:

I wasn’t always disciplined. I wasn’t always the best student when I was younger. I made my share of mistakes. I still remember a conversation I had with my mother in high school. I was kind of a goof-off. And I was about the age of some of the folks here. And my grades were slipping. I hadn’t started my college applications. I was acting, as my mother put it, sort of casual about my future. I was doing good enough. I was smart enough that I could kind of get by. But I wasn’t really applying myself.

And so I suspect this is a conversation that will sound familiar to some students and some parents here today. She decided to sit me down and said I had to change my attitude. My attitude was what I imagine every teenager’s attitude is when your parents have a conversation with you like that. I was like, you know, I don’t need to hear all this. I’m doing okay, I’m not flunking out.

So I started to say that, and she just cut me right off. She said, you can’t just sit around waiting for luck to see you through. She said, you can get into any school you want in the country if you just put in a little bit of effort. She gave me a hard look and she said, you remember what that’s like? Effort? (Laughter.) Some of you have had that conversation. (Laughter.) And it was pretty jolting hearing my mother say that.

But eventually her words had the intended effect, because I got serious about my studies. And I started to make an effort in everything that I did. And I began to see my grades and my prospects improve.

And I know that if hard work could make the difference for me, then it can make a difference for all of you.

The President spent the last portion of his speech touching on the pressures almost all kids face growing up at some time or another, and challenged students to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

So, what I want to say to every kid, every young person -- what I want all of you -- if you take away one thing from my speech, I want you to take away the notion that life is precious, and part of what makes it so wonderful is its diversity, that all of us are different. And we shouldn’t be embarrassed by the things that make us different. We should be proud of them, because it’s the thing that makes us different that makes us who we are, that makes us unique. And the strength and character of this country has always come from our ability to recognize -- no matter who we are, no matter where we come from, no matter what we look like, no matter what abilities we have -- to recognize ourselves in each other.

I was reminded of that idea the other day when I read a letter from Tamerria Robinson. She’s a 12-year-old girl in Georgia. And she told me about how hard she works and about all the community service she does with her brother. And she wrote, “I try to achieve my dreams and help others do the same.” “That,” she said, “is how the world should work.”

Education is the economic issue of our time

Remarks by the President on Higher Education and the Economy at the University of Texas at Austin on August 9, 2010.

In a single generation, we’ve fallen from first place to 12th place in college graduation rates for young adults. Think about that. In one generation we went from number one to number 12.

Now, that’s unacceptable, but it’s not irreversible. We can retake the lead. If we’re serious about making sure America’s workers -- and America itself -- succeeds in the 21st century, the single most important step we can take is make -- is to make sure that every one of our young people -- here in Austin, here in Texas, here in the United States of America -- has the best education that the world has to offer. That’s the number one thing we can do. (Applause.)

Now, when I talk about education, people say, well, you know what, right now we’re going through this tough time. We’ve emerged from the worst recession since the Great Depression. So, Mr. President, you should only focus on jobs, on economic issues. And what I’ve tried to explain to people -- I said this at the National Urban League the other week -- education is an economic issue. Education is the economic issue of our time. (Applause.)

It’s an economic issue when the unemployment rate for folks who’ve never gone to college is almost double what it is for those who have gone to college. Education is an economic issue when nearly eight in 10 new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end of this decade. Education is an economic issue when we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that countries that out-educate us today, they will out-compete us tomorrow.

The single most important thing we can do is to make sure we’ve got a world-class education system for everybody. That is a prerequisite for prosperity. It is an obligation that we have for the next generation.

"Education isn’t an either/or proposition. It’s a both/and proposition."

Remarks by the President on Education Reform at the National Urban League Centennial Conference on July 29, 2010

Now, since we’re on the topic of speaking honestly with one another, I want to devote the balance of my time, the balance of my remarks, to an issue that I believe will largely determine not only African American success, but the success of our nation in the 21st century -- and that is whether we are offering our children the very best education possible. (Applause.)

I know some argue that as we emerge from a recession, my administration should focus solely on economic issues. They said that during health care as if health care had nothing to do with economics; said it during financial reform as if financial reform had nothing to do with economics; and now they're saying it as we work on education issues. But education is an economic issue -- if not “the” economic issue of our time. (Applause.)

It’s an economic issue when the unemployment rate for folks who’ve never gone to college is almost double what it is for those who have gone to college. (Applause.) It’s an economic issue when eight in 10 new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end of this decade. It’s an economic issue when countries that out-educate us today are going to out-compete us tomorrow.

Now, for years, we’ve recognized that education is a prerequisite for prosperity. And yet, we’ve tolerated a status quo where America lags behind other nations. Just last week, we learned that in a single generation, America went from number one to 12th in college completion rates for young adults. Used to be number one, now we’re number 12.

At the same time, our 8th graders trail about eight -- 10 other nations -- 10 other nations in science and math. Meanwhile, when it comes to black students, African American students trail not only almost every other developed nation abroad, but they badly trail their white classmates here at home -- an achievement gap that is widening the income gap between black and white, between rich and poor.

We’ve talked about it, we know about it, but we haven’t done enough about it. And this status quo is morally inexcusable, it's economically indefensible, and all of us are going to have to roll up our sleeves to change it. (Applause.)

America COMPETES

Innovation Legislation Clears the House With Bipartisan Support

(Washington, DC) – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 by a vote of 262 to 150. The bill, which has over 100 cosponsors and more than 750 endorsers, makes investments in science, innovation, and education to support employers today while strengthening the U.S. scientific and economic leadership to grow new industries of tomorrow, and the jobs that come with them.

Remarks by President Obama on Space Exploration in the 21st Century

Prickly City by Scott Stantis for 03 April 2010

"Why spend money on NASA at all? Why spend money solving problems in space when we don’t lack for problems to solve here on the ground? And obviously our country is still reeling from the worst economic turmoil we’ve known in generations. We have massive structural deficits that have to be closed in the coming years.

But you and I know this is a false choice. We have to fix our economy. We need to close our deficits. But for pennies on the dollar, the space program has fueled jobs and entire industries. For pennies on the dollar, the space program has improved our lives, advanced our society, strengthened our economy, and inspired generations of Americans. And I have no doubt that NASA can continue to fulfill this role."

Our future is determined each and every day, when our children enter the classroom.

The President's Weekly Address: Education for a More Competitive America & Better Future

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama announced that on Monday, his administration will send to Congress the blueprint for an updated Elementary and Secondary Education Act. That will overhaul No Child Left Behind, the latest step from his Administration to encourage change and success in America’s schools at the local level. The plan will set the ambitious goal of ensuring that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and a career, and it will provide states, districts and schools with the flexibility and resources to reach that goal.

Science Board urges actions to prevent further slide in US S&T competitiveness

Science Board urges actions to prevent further slide in US S&T competitiveness
By Physics Today on March 8, 2010 2:49 PM

On the heels of it's recently released report showing a surge in high-tech investments by China and other Asian nations, the National Science Foundation's National Science Board has urged the Obama administration to gauge the quality of federal research programs and to create a new cabinet-level council to address US innovation and competitiveness issues. In a report released last month, NSB also called on the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to lead a government-wide assessment of key research areas, benchmarking the quality of those programs against those of other nations’.

Remarks by the President on the "Educate to Innovate" Campaign and Science Teaching and Mentoring Awards

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 06, 2010

Remarks by the President on the "Educate to Innovate" Campaign and Science Teaching and Mentoring Awards

East Room
1:46 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat. Thank you.