Zama American High School seventh-graders, from left, Cole Dadswell, Samantha West, Joseph Dela Cruz and Kathrina Orozco studied the effects of Camp Zama on the environment, overseen by biology teacher Lee Forrest, right rear. The team won the southeast regional division of the Army’s eCybermission science and math competition in the “Benefit to the Community” category. (Juliana Gittler / Stars and Stripes)
CAMP ZAMA, Japan — While their peers enjoyed after-school and weekend freedom, four Zama American High School students studied trees and bugs on the golf course for several months to analyze the impact the base has on the environment.
It was no walk in the park: The group studied maps and worked with engineers to do their experiment, then pulled their data together in a lengthy report. The results not only showed them to be budding scientists but earned each one a $2,000 savings bond.
Kathrina Orozco, Joseph Dela Cruz, Cole Dadswell and Samantha West are the seventh-grade southeast regional winners in the Benefit to the Community category of the Army’s eCybermission competition.
The Web-based competition rewarded students in grades six through nine for efforts to solve problems in their communities using science, math and technology. A goal was to teach students to appreciate the practical application of the sciences.
Zama’s team, the Trojans, examined the effects on the environment of modifications to the post’s golf course. They began by working with engineers at Zama and studying plans and maps to determine where to research and how things have changed. Then came weeks of sampling and fieldwork followed by compiling the data and assembling it into a meticulous report.
The team, led by biology teacher Lee Forrest, investigated a blight affecting trees on the golf course and found it is caused by a beetle, not humans.
Some of the team members will continue the research to look for better and less-expensive options for saving the trees, Forrest said.
The team members said the experience was its own reward but the prize money is a definite boon. Winning also was a surprise.
“I was surprised we made the running,” said Dads- well, who said he just might pursue science as a profession following the experience. “It was fun.”
Dela Cruz already plans to become a forensic scientist. He said the project is memorable because the results in the final report read better than the average seventh-grade project. “We liked the fact that it sounded older than us,” he said.
The competition required youngsters to look at four areas: arts and entertainment; health and safety; sports and recreation; and the environment.
More than 6,800 students entered the overall competition this year, according to the Army’s research, development and engineering command, which organized it.
Competing this year, according to the Army’s eCybermission Web site, [BOLDFACE]www.ecybermission.com[/BOLDFACE], were “1,151 teams ... representing all 50 states and numerous U.S. territories and Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools around the world. ... Ninety-six teams representing 28 states and DoDEA schools in Germany and Japan took home the regional awards.”
Each of the four Zama students also will receive a certificate of appreciation. They indicated they also gained some intangibles, such as an interest in science and math — and, they hoped, a lasting improvement to their community.
