For Immediate Release:   June 26, 2008

 

Stone Middle School Team Wins First Place in National Science Competition

 

VIERA—A team of four students from Stone Middle School has won first place nationally in this year’s eCYBERMISSION competition. eCYBERMISSION is a U.S. Army-sponsored, Web-based science, math and technology competition that allows students in grades six through nine to compete for regional and national awards while working to solve problems in their communities.

Taking eighth grade first place honors nationally, which includes $5,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds for each student, is the “SBS Bots” team, comprised of eighth graders Zen Campbell, Jason Draper, Dalton Stanley and Spencer Tuttle of Stone Middle School. The team was recognized by judges for its research into the problem of Sick Building Syndrome, a persistent allergic reaction from people who live or work in places that have allergens in the HVAC systems. The students grew E. coli in a Petri dish, placed it inside an air duct, programmed a robot to travel into the duct and expose the dish to ultraviolet light and then measured the number of remaining E. coli cells. The team was coached by advisers Richard Regan and Jared Campbell.

Now in its sixth year, eCYBERMISSION has awarded more than $4.6 million in U.S. EE Savings Bonds in support of the science, math and technology leaders of tomorrow. Since its inception, more than 46,000 students from across the country and in U.S. territories and Department of Defense Education Activity schools worldwide have participated in the competition. For more information, visit www.ecybermission.com.

 

PHOTO ATTACHED

Pictured (left to right): Spencer Tuttle, Dalton Stanley, Richard Regan (front row, seated), Zen Campbell and Jason Draper

-BPS-