U.S. Army Awards More Than $1 Million to Students from Across the Nation Through the eCYBERMISSION National Competition

BALTIMORE, July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, the U.S. Army announced today that it has named the 2010 eCYBERMISSION national first-place teams. Managed by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the eCYBERMISSION program awarded more than $1 million to students from across the nation and in Department of Defense Education Activity schools overseas.

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Sixteen teams traveled across the nation to Baltimore, Md. to compete in the 2010 National Judging and Educational Event (NJ&EE) and vie for the honor of being named a national first-place team. Teams presented their projects to a panel of National Judges for a chance to win up to $8,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds and the national title in each grade.

National First Place Winning Teams

Sixth grade: The "Hardheads" team, consisting of students Jonathan Berman, Benjamin Kotzubei, Austin Veseliza and Team Advisor Deborah Beckman-Kotzubei, from The Mirman School in Los Angeles, Calif., experimented with materials used to support sports helmets that would help prevent concussions and other head injuries.

Seventh grade: The "Wavemasters" team, consisting of students Tucker Barnes, Connor Magid, Steven Parker and Team Advisor Scottie Barnes, from Fern Ridge Middle School in Veneta, Ore., conducted experiments with using wave power as a form of renewable energy.

Eighth grade: The "Landroids" team, consisting of students Stanley Cheung, Gage Farestad, Brian Lee, Karlin Yeh and Team Advisor John Yeh, from the Livingston Robotics Club in Livingston, N.J., experimented with sound waves and deer fur in hopes of creating a device to decrease the amount of vehicle-animal collisions.

Ninth Grade: The "chocolate addiction" team, consisting of students Melanie Bean, Megan Crumb, Berenice Cortez, Rosemary Murray and Team Advisor Karensa Wright, from Seminole Ridge High School in Loxahatchee, Fla., investigated how makeup can cause damage to skin after being exposed to heat or moisture.

"When you take on challenges, the experience you gain is tremendously rewarding to you personally. Remember that the greatest challenges often will give you the greatest rewards," said Maj. Gen. Nick G. Justice, commanding general, RDECOM. "I want to challenge you to be someone who is excited about what you do with your life. Will you take that challenge?"

eCYBERMISSION, a free, web-based, STEM competition for students in grades six through nine, encourages and rewards students from a diverse range of proficiency levels and backgrounds for working through the scientific method to solve problems in their communities. Since 2002, eCYBERMISSION has awarded more than $8.6 million in support of the STEM leaders of tomorrow. More than 71,000 students from across the country and in Department of Defense Education Activity schools worldwide have participated in the competition.  

More than 71,000 students from across the country and in U.S. territories and Department of Defense Education Activity schools worldwide have participated in the competition since its inception in 2002. This year, 13,218 students registered for eCYBERMISSION and formed more than 3,300 teams.

Registration for the 2010-2011 eCYBERMISSION competition opens on Aug. 1, 2010. To view photographs and videos from NJ&EE or for a complete listing of the 2010 regional winners, contact Rachael Lighty at 1-866-GO-CYBER (462-9237) or visit www.ecybermission.com.

About the U.S. Army RDECOM

The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) is the Army's primary source for integrated research, development and engineering capabilities that empower, unburden and protect the Warfighter to enable the dominance of the Army.  RDECOM provides the full spectrum of basic research, development, engineering and analysis of Warfighter systems, from concept to capability. RDECOM is headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., with laboratories and research and development centers throughout the country, and representatives throughout the world. For more information on RDECOM visit www.army.mil/rdecom.

SOURCE U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command