Four National-Winning Teams Earn $130,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds at Maturity

The U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) has named the 2025 National Winners of its 23rd annual eCYBERMISSION National Judging & Educational Event (NJ&EE), recognizing outstanding STEM experimentation conducted by students in grades six through nine. Teams The Prairie Protectors (6^th grade), Clean Beam (7^th grade), Hydro Heroes (8^th grade), and Berryfresh – Berry Good Tech (9^th grade) earned top honors and will each receive $10,000 per student in U.S. EE Savings Bonds at maturity.

“These students are not only solving real-world problems—they’re building the future of innovation and national security,” said Christina Weber, AEOP Cooperative Agreement Manager. “Their creativity, collaboration, and dedication reflect the very heart of AEOP’s mission to inspire and prepare the next generation of STEM leaders.”

“Watching these students apply their ideas and energy to real-world challenges through eCYBERMISSION is truly exciting,” said Bob Lay, NSTA Interim Chief Executive Officer. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to these remarkable students and recognize the invaluable support of their Team Advisors, educators, families, and communities who helped guide and encourage these inspiring changemakers in STEM."

Hosted at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles in Chantilly, Virginia from June 23–27, NJ&EE brought together the top 20 teams from across the country—five per grade level—after months of research, testing, and community-focused innovation. National Finalists presented their projects to a panel of esteemed judges, including Scientists and Engineers from the Department of Defense, representatives from the National Science Teaching Association, and the 2025 eCYBERMISSION Team Advisor of the Year.

The winning teams were announced at a celebratory National Awards Ceremony held on June 27, concluding a week filled with STEM exploration, hands-on learning, and meaningful connections with STEM professionals and Army scientists.

The 2025 National Winners are:

The Prairie Protectors – 6^th Grade

The Prairie Protectors investigated the impact of the oil industry on prairie biodiversity, native grass growth, and soil health, using this information to create and disseminate seed bombs for prairie restoration. The team is comprised of students London Ferran, Tatum Lust, Kyndall Ordonez, and Emmerson Turner and Team Advisor Michelle Bueermann from Southcrest Christian School in Lubbock, Texas.

Clean Beam – 7^th Grade

Clean Beam developed a chemical-free sanitizing device to eliminate algae, bacterial and viral pathogens, and parasites from water to address the issue of contaminants in livestock drinking water. The team is comprised of students Derek Craig Jr, Landon Johnson, and Gabriel Potter and Team Advisor Jason Arant from OSIEL in Bixby, Oklahoma.

Hydro Heroes – 8^th Grade

Hydro Heroes sought to find a way to remove microplastics from tap water and found chia seed flocculant to be more successful than traditionally-used chemical additives that can be harmful to human health. The team is comprised of students Olivia Kim, Elizabeth Moody, Annie Wei, and April Yao and Team Advisor Richard Gash from Bay Sea Scouts, Inc. in Bay Village, Ohio.

Berryfresh – Berry Good Tech – 9^th Grade

Berryfresh – Berry Good Tech utilized machine learning to create an app that notifies users of the freshness of strawberries in their refrigerator to prevent food waste. The team is comprised of students Shrika Kota and Janhawi Patil and Team Advisor Deepti Salvi from Green Hope High School and Triangle Math and Science Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In addition to the National Winners, two other teams received awards at this year’s NJ&EE. Team BrAIniac Buddy (7^th grade, Utah) received the Army Values Award for best embodying the U.S. Army values throughout the week of NJ&EE. Team The Clean Water Crew (6^th grade, Arizona) received the People’s Choice Award, which was decided by the popular vote of at-home viewers after all teams presented their projects at the National Showcase.

Registration for the 2025-2026 eCYBERMISSION competition opens in the fall. To learn more about eCYBERMISSION, please visit www.ecybermission.com.

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 the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)

The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 35,000 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.

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Congratulations to the 2025 @aeop_eCYBERMISSION National Winners! After months of research and evaluation, four teams of 6th–9th grade students were honored for their outstanding STEM projects. #ecyber25