National Finalists, Regional Finalists, and State Winners Named in the 23rd Annual eCYBERMISSION STEM Competition

More than $1.6 million in U.S. EE Savings Bonds at maturity to be awarded to top student teams

eCYBERMISSION is proud to announce the State Winners, Regional Finalists, and National Finalists for its 23^rd annual STEM competition. As an Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) competition administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), eCYBERMISSION invites teams of sixth- through ninth-grade students to tackle real-world problems in their communities through science or engineering.

This year, over 1,700 student teams participated nationwide. From those entries, the top three teams in each grade and region moved on to Regional Judging. Of those, only 20 teams—five per grade level—earned the distinction of National Finalist and will compete this summer at the National Judging & Educational Event (NJ&EE).

“For countless young minds, eCYBERMISSION is more than just a competition—it’s a launchpad into the boundless possibilities of STEM,” said AEOP Cooperative Agreement Manager, Christina Weber. “By nurturing their curiosity and innovation, we’re investing in the leaders and problem-solvers who will shape the future of our communities and our Nation.”

“At NSTA, we’re proud to support students as they apply their science learning to real-world challenges,” said Bob Lay, NSTA Interim Chief Executive Officer. “Programs like eCYBERMISSION empower young learners to think critically, explore solutions, and see the impact they can make through STEM. It’s inspiring to watch their ideas take shape and their confidence as innovators grow.”

State Winners were selected based on evaluations by volunteer Virtual Judges. The highest-scoring teams in each region then advanced to Regional Judging, which was held virtually from April 21–25. One top team per grade level in each of the five regions was selected as a National Finalist. These 20 outstanding teams will gather in Chantilly, Virginia from June 23–27 to compete at NJ&EE, where they will showcase their work, participate in hands-on STEM experiences, and connect with STEM professionals and Army scientists.

In recognition of their achievements, winning teams will receive a total of up to $1,696,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds at maturity. National Winners will be awarded an additional $96,000, with each student on a winning team receiving a total bond valued at $10,000 at maturity.

A full list of 2025 State Winners, Regional Finalists, and National Finalists is available at www.ecybermission.com/winners. Student teams interested in entering the 2024–2025 competition can begin developing their projects now, with registration and submission opening in the fall. Learn more at www.ecybermission.com.

National Finalists

North Central

6th Grade – The Exploding Turtles – Arihant Kanwar, Vikram Kudva, Vivek Kudva, Vincent Slivinski, and Team Advisor Debra Las – Rochester, Minnesota

7th Grade – Allergen Avengers – Sophia Hackfort, Trisha Hamirwasia, and Team Advisor Aaron Mueller – Naperville, Illinois

8th Grade – Hydro Heroes – Olivia Kim, Elizabeth Moody, Annie Wei, April Yao, and Team Advisor Richard Gash – Bay Village, Ohio

9th Grade – WENIKA - Riley Campbell, Addison Graham, Josephine Nichols, Orion Riddell, and Team Advisor Richard Gash – Bay Village, Ohio

North East

6th Grade – Windventors – Siddhant Agarwal, Aman Nayar, Tanvir Nayar, and Team Advisor Monika Maheshwari – Rockville, Maryland

7th Grade – EcoPaw Engineers – Aneruddha Das, Kushal Yarlagadda, and Team Advisor Santanu Das – Ashburn, Virginia

8th Grade – BIOSORB – Priya Deshpande, Radhika Deshpande, Ani Nishanian, and Team Advisor Nunik Nishanian – Clifton, Virginia

9th Grade – Genetic Genies – Yashvi Bhandari, Lana Softic, and Team Advisor Divya Bhandari – Potomac, Maryland

South Central

6th Grade – The Prairie Protectors – London Ferran, Tatum Lust, Kyndall Ordonez, Emmerson Turner, and Team Advisor Michelle Bueermann – Lubbock, Texas

7th Grade – Clean Beam – Derek Craig, Landon Johnson, Gabriel Potter, and Team Advisor Jason Arant – Bixby, Oklahoma

8th Grade – H2O Heroes – Andrew Fuller, Carson Kemper, Kali Kemper, and Team Advisor Jason Arant – Bixby, Oklahoma

9th Grade – The Experimenters – Daniel Dao, Lawrence Dao, and Team Advisor Thu Nguyen – Lawrence, Kansas

South East

6th Grade – Microplastic Mavericks – Arjun Manne, Jason Min, Param Verma, and Team Advisor Gopi Venkata Manne – Cary, North Carolina

7th Grade – BiteRight - Rajan Khiani, Neel Tripathy, and Team Advisor James Chamberlain – Charlotte, North Carolina

8th Grade – Safe Sip System – Kayla Jorge, Isabel Hilmers, Arianna Huriash, and Team Advisor Jennifer Roberts – Coral Springs, Florida

9th Grade – BerryFresh – Berry Good Tech – Shrika Kota, Janhawi Patil, and Team Advisor Deepti Salvi – Raleigh, North Carolina

West

6th Grade – The Clean Water Crew – Lillian Gerstman, Juliana Hajbandeh, Ava McHugh, Ayah Weitz, and Team Advisor Bailey Mittelstadt – Scottsdale, Arizona

7th Grade – BrAIniac Buddy – Brynley Belnap, Lucy Caldwell, Anson Gibbons, Grayson Judd, and Team Advisor Lora Gibbons – Stansbury Park, Utah

8th Grade – Pectin Pals – Daniel Chang, Xuanzhe Wang, and Team Advisor Erin Jamison – Las Vegas, Nevada

9th Grade – Tubbins – Oscar Boni, Kainen Kauffman, Loghan Schofield, Rocco Skinner, and Team Advisor Lori Buratto – Spokane Valley, Washington

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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We’re proud to announce the 20 National Finalist teams of @eCYBERMISSION 2025! Chosen from over 1,700 entries, these standout students will advance to NJ&EE in Chantilly, VA to showcase their #STEM solutions and compete for top honors. #ecyber25 Please let