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!

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.

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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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

"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

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

 

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

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!

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Fall 2012

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

- Engineering Family Fun Day (EF2D) 2012: Maps, Math, Magnets and Mars
- South Florida Science Museum Signals Space Station, Astronaut answers Palm Beach Students Questions
- Figure This! KenKen — Puzzles That Make You Smarter
- SECME Spotlight: Priscilla Cerqueira
- XCKD.COMics “1125—Objects in Mirror (Edwin Hubble's Car)”
- Hawks Host Water Rocket Seminar at Acreage Library
- Adopt Seminole SECME online: thank you to our sponsors

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

Seminole SECME Seminar on Water Rockets 10/20

WATER BOTTLE ROCKET SEMINAR
Hosted by Seminole Ridge SECME

WHEN: Saturday, October 20, 2012 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

WHERE: The Acreage Branch Library is on Orange Blvd. just east of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, behind the Publix Super Market. For directions, visit http://www.pbclibrary.org/branch-acr.htm.
We will be launching around 1 PM at Acreage Community Park just down the road, 140th Ave & 67th St N. (weather permitting). Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the event sites. Elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by an adult (either chaperon or parent).

WHY: Working in teams, students construct a simple bottle rocket from two-liter soft drink bottles and other materials. The rocket is powered by air pressure and water, and judged by longest hang time.

WHAT TO BRING: (2) 2 LITER BOTTLES (PER STUDENT REQUIRED), PACKAGING TAPE, PARTY HATS, FIN MATERIAL (SUCH AS FOAM DISPOSABLE DINNER PLATES, CORRUGATED PLASTIC (NOT CARDBOARD) FROM CAMPAIGN SIGNS, PERMANENT MARKER, MEASURING TAPE OR RULER, SCISSORS, NEWSPAPERS.

Click here to register!

Seminole SECME Demo Day Aug 29, 2012

Seminole SECME is having a demonstration day to recruit for the 2012-2013. Students interested in science, engineering, and math are asked to attend the 1st meeting Wednesday, August 29, 2012 from 3- 4:30 PM in room 5-107. Or see Mr. Landstrom for more information. Seminole SECME is an after-school engineering club with hands-on projects. Get creative with contests to race robots, rockets, and mousetrap powered rovers! Join SECME! Get Smart! Have Fun! Win Prizes!

20120818 Freshmen Invasion

Click on the first picture to flip through the photoalbum of Seminole Ridge SECME on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at the Freshmen Invasion for the Class of 2012. 

Seminole SECME End of Year 2012

SECME Golden Corral End of Year Party

Seminole Ridge SECME
End of Year Party
@ The Golden Corral
corner of Okeechobee and State Road 7
10100 Fox Trail Road South, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

Date: Wednesday, May 16th
Time: 6 p.m. to 7:30 pm
Cost $12

http://maps.yahoo.com/#tt=&q=10100+Fox+Trail+Rd+S%2C+Royal+Palm+Beach%2C+FL++33411-1402&conf=1&start=1&lat=26.70746&lon=-80.202599&zoom=16&mvt=m&trf=0

The red honor cord recognizes participation in the SECME engineering club.

PLAN IT – BUILD IT – LIVE IT – WIN IT!

PLAN IT – BUILD IT – LIVE IT – WIN IT! Seminole Ridge Hawks take third place during district engineering Olympiad

Seminole Ridge SECME is the winner of six trophies and ribbons at the 2012 SECME Olympiad engineering competition, including third place overall for Palm Beach County! Teams from fifteen high schools in Palm Beach County participated in the engineering contests at Santaluces Community High School in Lantana on Saturday, February 25, 2012. 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.
Seminole SECME takes 3rd place in 2012 Olympiad
The competition of cogitators was fierce. And the Hawks soared high: honorable mention - brain bowl; honorable mention - mousetrap powered vehicle; second place - water rocket; second place - poster; first place - banner; third 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 2012 Palm Beach County School District SECME Olympiad on Saturday, February 26, 2012)

20120225 SDPBC Secondary SECME Olympiad

SECME Helped Her Plan It. SECME Helps Her Live It!

senior Caitlin Miller

SECME: Plan It - Build It - Live It!
- by Caitlin Miller, Seminole Ridge Community High School Class of 2012

I want to unlock the keys to the Universe, answer seemingly impossible questions, discover innovations, and so much more. As a kid I’ve always strived to understand the mechanics of everything around me. I constantly asked questions, rattling my other’s minds for the countless things I wondered- “Why is the sky blue? How do birds fly? How did people float on the moon?” It was all so mysterious to me.

When I started school I was relieved because my curiosity was finally beginning to be quenched. Little did I know my mind had only just started growing and soon enough every answer led me to a new question and more observations. I noticed that while other kids were occupied by their games, dolls, and action figures, I was out catching caterpillars and trying to make them turn into butterflies or trying to make new games to play and toys to play with. Even that was not enough for my wandering mind.

It wasn’t until my Junior year that I had found the perfect way to “STEMulate” my mind. It was that booming voice coming from one of my crazy new science teachers that led me to one of my favorite hobbies today. “Have fun! Get Smart! Win Prizes!”- that was the phrase that drew me in.

Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Winter 2012

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

- SECME Hawks Are Circling Suncoast; Engineering Olympiad at Santaluces High on 2/25
- White House Science Fair a Blast for Blue Ribbon Winners Celebrating STEM Successes
- Seminole SECME helps students catch a wave during the Gotta Regatta
- Figure This! Every Second Counts When It’s Leap Day
- an essay excerpt from senior Caitlin Miller, Seminole SECME captain
- Hearing About Engineering in Boca this month
- The Blue Man Group is Making Waves at the Science Explorium
- XCKD.COMics “987—Potential”

PAGE 1

Click here to download the attached PDF copy of our Seminole SECME 'Hawk Talk' newsletter Winter 2011 issue

Olympian Tasks!

(Click on the first picture to flip through the Seminole SECME team working hard to do their best for tomorrow's Olympiad submission deadline)

Rest, Relax and Recharge

Happy New Year of the Dragon 2012!


Captains Cindy Dosch (2010-2011), Caitlin Miller (2011-2012), and Brian Bartels (2010-2011)