Army, National Science Teachers Association Kick off STEM Competition
The eCybermission competition, a free program sponsored by the United States Army Educational Outreach Program and administered by the National Science Teachers Association, has opened registration for project teams interested in participating in its 12th annual iteration.
In the program, teams of three to four students and an adult advisor apply scientific practices or engineering design processes to formulate a solution to an issue in their community that falls within one of seven "mission challenges," or categories, including alternative sources of energy, the environment, food, health and fitness, force and motion, national security and safety, robotics, and technology.
Competing teams will have access to volunteer science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals through the program to consult and assist with proposed projects.
Finished team project proposals will compete against others of the same grade level in state and regional rounds, with regional winning teams receiving an expenses-paid trip to the National Judging and Educational Event in June of 2014. The national competition awards the winning team up to $8,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds, valued at maturity.
Registration for the competition will be open through January 15, 2014, with "Final Mission Folder" submissions due March 1, 2014.
Students registered by November 1 will receive a free STEM Research Kit. Every registered teacher receives an eCybermission starter kit including lessons, resources, and tools to help introduce the competition in the classroom.
To participate, students must be U.S. citizens enrolled in a U.S.-based public, private, or home school, or Department of Defense Education Activity school.
For more information, or to register for the competition, visit ecybermission.com.
About the Author
Kevin Hudson is a freelance journalist based in Portland, Oregon. He can be reached at [email protected].