(ARA) - Are you a student in the sixth through ninth grade who is ready to join your fellow science, math or technology gurus in discovering something spectacular? Are you a parent or teacher of talented students who have the creativity, curiosity and drive to move from textbooks to hands-on application of classroom learning? The U.S. Army is encouraging students with great ideas to participate in eCYBERMISSION, the web-based competition in which students in grades six through nine compete for college savings bonds while working to solve problems in their community.

First offered in 2002, eCYBERMISSION is designed to spark students' interest in science, math and technology, so that one day they will grow up to lead the way in ensuring the U.S.' global competitiveness and national security. The program encourages students to identify a community-based issue or problem and work together in teams of three or four to propose a solution, applying the skills they're learning in the classroom to real situations. Each member of the winning teams can receive up to $8,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds.

Microsoft's Bill Gates is a fan - in fact, he expressed his support for eCYBERMISSION in a videotaped address prepared especially for the 2005-2006 national finalists. "The United States has long been the world's center for innovation in science and technology," he said. "But our continued prosperity, as a nation, will depend on whether we can produce a new generation that has the skills to create tomorrow's technology breakthroughs."

With the program now in its fifth year, the U.S. Army is once again looking for teams to accept the eCYBERMISSION challenge. Registration for the 2006-2007 competition is open now through Dec. 12, 2006. Students can visit www.eCYBERMISSION.com to learn more and to sign up.

Last year, 4,035 students submitted research projects. Ninety-six teams were deemed regional winners of the 2005-2006 competition and included projects focused on childhood obesity, teenage kidnappings, the physical strain heavy backpacks cause students and earthquake preparedness, to name a few. Of those teams, the four winning national projects were very diverse.

* Team Sew-n-Sew tested various fabrics to create handmade pillows that would prove comforting to the sensitive skin of children undergoing chemotherapy, then delivered them to local children's hospitals.

* Team VROOOM! attempted to influence their peers' all terrain vehicle (ATV) riding behaviors by developing and implementing an educational program to encourage responsible use of ATVs among students.

* The 'Cane Hammers team sought to identify the type of mobile home roof that is most resistant to wind and communicated their findings to mobile home construction companies and residents in their community.

* E coli Busters invented a video system to test whether a burger is adequately cooked, in an effort to replace the time-consuming internal temperature probe that is currently used in many chain restaurants across the country.

Here's how eCYBERMISSION works. Each team identifies a problem, formulates a hypothesis and conducts research and experiments. They are encouraged to collaborate online using discussion forums, chat rooms and instant messaging. They then submit the Mission Folder, the official write-up of their project, along with supporting information such as photographs and experiment data via the Web site.

Judges determine four regional winning teams for each grade level, who are invited to compete at the National Judging and Educational Event in Washington, D.C., where each team presents its project to a panel of live judges. In its first four years, more than 25,000 students have participated in eCYBERMISSION.

Students competing in eCYBERMISSION have the opportunity to win up to $8,000 in U.S. EE Savings Bonds. Sixteen teams are chosen as Regional First Place winners with each student being awarded $3,000 in EE Savings Bonds, as well as an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the National Judging and Educational Event. Four National First Place winners are chosen from these 16 teams, and awarded an additional $5,000 in EE Savings Bonds per student.

Teams not advancing to the national competition, but who submit Mission Folders that show a grasp of science and its application to a real community problem, may compete for one of the 16 Regional Second Place Awards of $3,000 in EE Savings Bonds or one of the 64 Regional Criteria Awards of $2,000 in EE Savings Bonds for each student on the team.

To date, eCYBERMISSION has awarded more than $3.5 million in prize money in support of science, math and technology leaders of tomorrow. To request additional information, or to register, visit www.ecybermission.com or call 1-866-GO-CYBER (462-9237).