ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) announced that 20 student teams from across the United States have been selected as national finalists in the 15th annual eCYBERMISSION competition. The web-based science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program—sponsored by the U.S. Army and administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)—is designed to cultivate student interest in STEM by encouraging students in grades six through nine to develop solutions to real-world problems in their local communities.
The national finalist teams will advance to eCYBERMISSION’s National Judging & Educational Event (NJ&EE), taking place in Washington, D.C. metropolitan area June 26-30.
The National Finalists were selected from a competitive group of 60 regional finalists. A panel of judges consisting of U.S. Army scientists and engineers and STEM professionals evaluated teams based on criteria including innovative ideas, benefit to the community, and overall development of the project.
“The U.S. Army is committed to the development of our future STEM talent pool through national competitions like eCYBERMISSION,” said Louie R. Lopez, AEOP Cooperative Agreement Manager. “Congratulations to all the state winning teams and we encourage students to continue their pursuit of STEM with AEOP.”
“We are extremely impressed with the innovative ideas and the quality of the projects entered in the eCYBERMISSION competition this year,” said NSTA Executive Director Dr. David Evans. “We congratulate the national finalists and wish them the best of luck as they advance to the finals.”
The national finalists focused their projects on one of seven mission challenges that affected their community, including alternative sources of energy; the environment; food; health and fitness; force and motion; national security and safety; and robotics. As National Finalists, each team member will receive $2,000 in U.S. Series EE Savings Bonds and an all-expenses paid trip to NJ&EE to compete for the first-place national award in their grade.
In addition to the national awards, five teams will each receive AEOP’s STEM-In-Action grant. These grants will be used to implement student solutions in the local communities based on the results of their projects. Each winning team will be awarded up to a $5,000 grant. The grants are independent of the selection of the national winners.
2017 National Finalist Teams
North Central Region
- 6th – GreenHouse Gals, Lisle, IL
- 7th – The Scientific 4, Kings Mills, OH
- 8th – Whiz Kids, Lake Linden, MI
- 9th – Algae Annihilators, Ida, MI
North East Region
- 6th – Ozone, Hewlett, NY
- 7th – Heatwave, Andover, MA
- 8th – The Rising Tides, New York, NY
- 9th – Cal Counters, Roslyn Heights, NY
South East Region
- 6th – ColumbiaGreen, Madison, AL
- 7th – Prep Tigers!, Charlotte, NC
- 8th – Ozonators, Weston, FL
- 9th – Charger Fire, Charlotte, NC
South Central Region
- 6th – The Rejuvenators, Whiteface, TX
- 7th – Excel Coders, Arvada, CO
- 8th – Mooovers and Shakers, Whiteface, TX
- 9th – NanoTygers, Taos, NM
West Region
- 6th – KCL, Los Angeles, CA
- 7th – Lanikai Science Squad, Kailua, HI
- 8th – E Block Schoolyard Gnomes, North Hollywood, CA
- 9th – The Three Musketeeretts, Portland, OR
2017 STEM-In-Action Grant Recipients
- 6th – ColumbiaGreen, Madison, AL
- 6th – cybermaniacs, Fairfax, VA
- 7th – Heatwave, Andover, MA
- 7th – Lanikai Science Squad, Kailua, HI
- 9th – The Three Musketeeretts, Portland, OR
The NJ&EE is a week-long event that provides educational opportunities and team-building exercises for the national finalists. Activities will include hands-on STEM workshops led by Army scientists and engineers, a special session hosted by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and tour of the National Mall and nearby museums, and a live-streamed showcase where students will display and demonstrate their winning ideas. The highlight of the NJ&EE will be the awards luncheon and ceremony, where the national winning team from each grade will be announced.
About the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)
The United States Army has long recognized that a scientifically and technologically literate citizenry is our nation’s best hope for a secure, rewarding, and successful future. For over 50 years, the Army has supported a wide range of educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for our youth, college and graduate students, as well as our valued teachers. Our nation’s economy has greatly benefited from the technological achievements of the last century and is destined for greater achievements throughout the 21st century. For more information about AEOP, please visit www.usaeop.com.
About eCYBERMISSION
eCYBERMISSION is a web-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competition free to students in grades six through nine that promotes self-discovery and enables all students to recognize the real-life applications of STEM. Teams of three or four students are instructed to ask questions (for science) or define problems (for engineering), and then construct explanations (for science) or design solutions (for engineering) based on identified problems in their community. Students compete for State, Regional, and National Awards. The U.S. Army is committed to answering the Nation’s need for increased national STEM literacy and to expanding STEM education opportunities across the country to open doors to new career paths for American students that lead to a brighter tomorrow.
About NSTA
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning, preschool through college. NSTA's membership includes approximately 55,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business representatives, and others involved in science education.
