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National Finalists, Regional Finalists, and State Winners Named in the 22nd Annual eCYBERMISSION STEM Competition
Over $1,600,000 worth of U.S. EE Savings Bonds at maturity awarded to winning teams
[RICHMOND, VIRGINIA] – Monday, May 13, 2024 – eCYBERMISSION announced the State Winners, Regional Finalists, and National Finalists for its 22nd annual competition. eCYBERMISSION challenges sixth- to ninth-grade students to form teams and select a community problem to investigate with science or solve with engineering. More than 1,700 teams took part in this year’s competition, with the top three per grade in each region continuing to Regional Judging and only 20, five per grade level, advancing to the National Judging & Educational Event (NJ&EE) this summer.
“For many students, eCYBERMISSION represents their first exploration into the world of STEM,” said AEOP Cooperative Agreement Manager, Christina Weber. “This Nation is built upon the ingenuity of people just like these competitors, and the U.S. Army is proud to provide opportunities to foster the growth of the next generation of change makers.”
“Today's youth are the architects of our future, and NSTA takes pride in generating a lasting enthusiasm for STEM in young learners.” said NSTA Chief Executive Officer Erika Shugart, Ph.D. “Witnessing the remarkable innovation showcased in their projects fuels our excitement for their potential to create change. We eagerly anticipate the exciting achievements yet to come from these students.”
eCYBERMISSION State Winners were decided based on the scoring by volunteer Virtual Judges. The top three scoring teams from each region per grade level advanced to Regional Judging, which took place virtually from April 22 – 26. At the culmination of Regional Judging, the top team per grade level from each of the five regions was selected to advance as National Finalists. These 20 teams will compete in Chantilly, Virginia during NJ&EE, taking place June 24 – 28.
eCYBERMISSION awards U.S. EE Savings Bonds totaling up to $1,696,000 at maturity to State Winners, Regional Finalists, and National Finalists. At the conclusion of NJ&EE, eCYBERMISSION will award an additional $96,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds to the National-Winning teams. In total, each National Winner will receive a U.S. EE Savings Bond worth $10,000 at maturity.
Below lists the National Finalist teams advancing to NJ&EE. For a full list of State Winners, Regional Finalists, and National Finalists, visit www.ecybermission.com/winners. Projects for the 2024-2025 eCYBERMISSION competition may begin now, and registration and project submission opens in the fall. For more information, visit www.ecybermission.com.
National Finalists
North Central
6th Grade – Shock Waves – Benjamin Brogan, Henry Moody, Joseph Karim, Benjamin Kaschube, and Team Advisor Richard Gash – Bay Village, Ohio
7th Grade – Stream Squad – Olivia Kim, Elizabeth Moody, Annie Wei, April Yao, and Team Advisor Richard Gash – Bay Village, Ohio
8th Grade – Geriatric Robots – Margaret Fornelli, Abigail Seurynck, Lily Marie de Tagyos, and Team Advisor Karl Ochsner – Park Ridge, Illinois
9th Grade – BasilLab – Rick Ivan Mamaril, Aidan Steele, and Team Advisor Debra Las – Rochester, Minnesota
North East
6th Grade – Aquafour – Mahika Mamidi, Tanmaya Muthuswamy, Aditya Risbud, Rishav Thakkar, and Team Advisor Kavitha Thiyaghu – Herndon, Virginia
7th Grade – The Water Project – Clara DuPlessie, Elliana Shahan, and Team Advisor Beth DuPlessie – Foxboro, Massachusetts
8th Grade – Psycho Cyclists – Lucas Cifarelli, Cooper Dyckman, Gavin Lucatorto, Jaiden Mejer, and Team Advisor Allison Goldstein – Levittown, New York
9th Grade – Team BioTech – Emma Simmons, Sarah Simmons, and Team Advisor Lisa McLeod Simmons – Fairfield, Pennsylvania
South Central
6th Grade – Momentum Charge – Cooper Daniel, Xander Gonzalez, Brenton Stary, Krue Stary, and Team Advisor Laura Stary – Lubbock, Texas
7th Grade – Code M&M – Jemerrian Allen, Joaquin Armstrong, Brody Lauderdale, Courtland Murphy, and Team Advisor Laura Stary – Lubbock, Texas
8th Grade – The Scientists – Daniel Dao, Lawrence Dao, Eian Pracht, and Team Advisor Nancy Jackson – Robinson, Kansas
9th Grade – ThermoGuardians – John Alcott, Austin Bacher, Natalya Balandran, and Team Advisor Steven Arant – Bixby, Oklahoma
South East
6th Grade – Backoff Brigade – Muaz Abid, Evander Rodrigues, Aniketh Roshan, Neev Sharma, and Team Advisor Chaka Carter Picha – Memphis, Tennessee
7th Grade – 50674_A – Angela Ata, Hannah Hu, Kayla Jorge, Rahee Patel, and Team Advisor Jennifer Roberts – Coral Springs, Florida
8th Grade – Genome Genies – Atlas Long, Luke Longin, Rishab Mishra, Jack Sadowski, and Team Advisor Kelly Gordon – Charlotte, North Carolina
9th Grade – Prescription Protectors – Sajith Gogineni, Saicharan Karthikeyan, Naren Pai, Eoin Samuel, and Team Advisor Thenmozhi Kandasamy – Raleigh, North Carolina
West
6th Grade – Ka’ohao Team #6 – Dana Kang, Genevieve Sendrey, Olivia Todaro, and Team Advisor John Sawyer – Kailua, Hawaii
7th Grade – Team Greenify – Nakshathra Jakkula, Solynn Jeon, Mrunmayee Kulkarni, and Team Advisor Jessica Schroeder – Santa Clara, California
8th Grade – Slow Patrol – Calvin Bruderer, Malachi Chaya, Natalia Rowe, Kimberly Watson, and Team Advisor Lora Gibbons – Stansbury Park, Utah
9th Grade – E-bike Safety Patrol – Naomi Mehl, Ahaan Pandey, and Team Advisor Preetanshu Pandey – San Diego, California
About eCYBERMISSION
eCYBERMISSION is a free, virtual science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competition for students in grade six to nine that promotes teamwork, self-discovery, and the real-life applications of STEM. Students work in teams, led by an adult Team Advisor, and select a problem in their community to investigate with science or solve with engineering. With eCYBERMISSION, students experience STEM firsthand and learn how they can use it to change the world while interacting with STEM professionals and competing for state, regional, and national awards. eCYBERMISSION students have applied for and received patents, expanded their projects into businesses, and achieved further national recognition, including the first ever TIME’s “Kid of the Year”. eCYBERMISSION is an Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) competition administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA).
About the 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 U.S. 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. Through AEOP, the U.S. Army continues its long tradition and strong commitment to the advancement of STEM education and literacy. Leveraging its most valuable assets – world-class scientists and engineers and research facilities – AEOP offers our nation’s youth and teachers a collaborative, cohesive portfolio of opportunities that effectively engage future workforce generations in meaningful, real-world STEM experiences, competitions, and paid internships. For more information about AEOP, please visit www.usaeop.com.
About NSTA
The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 40,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit www.nsta.org, or follow NSTA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.