The Alameda Community Learning Center (ACLC) sixth-grade STEM team was announced as the winner of the California section of the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program’s (AEOP) 20th annual eCYBERMISSION competition on May 6.

eCYBERMISSION is a free, online science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition where teams of two to four students in sixth to ninth grade must identify a problem in their community to explore using scientific practices or solve with engineering design.

The ACLC team, named the Dry Ice Bombs, designed a desalination machine to help with freshwater shortages for the top spot in the California sixth grade competition.

“In our project, we were trying to give the Bay Area/all coastal easier access to more freshwater,” stated in the team’s project summary. “(This new water is used for drinking and crops) without taking ground and surface water, then later using that groundwater to create more efficient energy for our community.”

The team said their “Desalinator” showed positive results.

The Dry Ice Bombs consists of ACLC sixth graders Kyle Lee, Willem Barulic, Evan Bagaman and Finley Collins. Each student on the team will receive a total $2,000 in U.S. EE Savings bonds. Their team advisor is ACLC teacher Elizabeth Cutright.

“The U.S. Army offers our hearty congratulations to all eCYBERMISSION winners and finalists on their impressive achievement,” said AEOP Cooperative Agreement Manager, Christina Weber. “The empathy and commitment of these students to creating a better Nation through STEM makes us confident that our future is in good hands. I look forward to seeing what they do next.”

eCYBERMISSION is an Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) competition administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA).