Students earn money through cyber challenge

  • Published
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A team of Kadena Middle School students earned $3,000 in savings bonds during a regional competition here, dubbed eCybermission. 

The seventh-grade team made up of Jonathan Pickens, Kenneth Tobisch, and Alexander Wilson captured second place with a project on traffic safety. 

The eCybermission is a web-based science, math, and technology competition sponsored by the U.S. Army to challenge students to explore how science, math, and technology work in the world today. 

"Their hypothesis stated if drivers were aware their speed was being monitored, they would slow down and observe speed limits more closely," said Mary Anne Harris, a colleague of Jim Weaver, the team coach who passed away earlier this spring. "They conducted an experiment on Kadena Air Base and showed that theory to be true." 

They hope to present their findings to base officials, she added. 

This year, 1,763 teams, comprised of 6,382 students, submitted their research for judging. Since its inception, more than 46,000 students from across America, U.S. territories, and Department of Defense Education Activity schools worldwide have participated in the competition. 

"We congratulate these regional winners for their superb research and analysis during this year's eCybermission competition," said Mike Doyle, U.S. Army eCybermission program manager. "These innovative students were selected from thousands of their peers and show the potential our bright young Americans have as future leaders in science, math and technology." 

The countless hours students worked after school with Mr. Weaver make this win even more special, said Ms. Harris. 

"This is an example of his dedication to his students and his willingness to find unique and innovative ways to pique their interest in science," she said. 

"We are so proud of our students and their coach," said Ms. Linda Connelly, KMS principal. "They worked as a team and Mr. Weaver was a wonderful mentor and adviser to these three young men." 

This is an honor for them and a lasting memory of a fine teacher, she added.