The 15

th

annual eCYBERMISSION competition is moving forward with 20 teams of sixth through ninth graders from across the United States.

The 20 national finalist teams were selected from 60 regional finalists who were evaluated by acting judges consisting of STEM professionals and U.S. Army scientists and engineers. The criteria for the regional competition included innovation, community benefit and overall project development, according to a competition release.

"The U.S. Army is committed to the development of our future STEM talent pool through national competitions like eCYBERMISSION," said Louie R. Lopez, Army Education Outreach Program (AEOP) cooperative agreement manager.

The eCYBERMISSION competition is a web-based technology, engineering, math and science program that is administrated by the National Science Teachers Association and sponsored by the U.S. Army. The competition was designed to create interest in STEM programs, encouraging students in grades six through nine to think about real-world problems within their local communities and develop solutions.

"We are extremely impressed with the innovative ideas and the quality of the projects entered in the eCYBERMISSION competition this year," NSTA Executive Director Dr. David Evans said. "We congratulate the national finalists and wish them the best of luck as they advance to the finals."

The 20 national finalist teams' projects focused on one of seven challenges affecting communities: environment, food, robotics, national security and safety, force and motion, health and fitness, or alternative energy sources.

Members of the national finalist teams will receive $2,000 in U.S. Series EE Savings Bonds and an all-expenses paid trip to the National Judging and Educational Event to compete for the first-place position for their grade. The teams that take first-place in the competition will win up to $9,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds. Additionally, five of the teams will receive a STEM-in-action grant of up to $5,000, enabling the solutions to be implemented in their local communities.

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

Aaron Boyd is an awarding-winning journalist currently serving as editor of Federal Times — a Washington, D.C. institution covering federal workforce and contracting for more than 50 years — and Fifth Domain — a news and information hub focused on cybersecurity and cyberwar from a civilian, military and international perspective.

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