The document summarizes an eCYBERMISSION presentation about a student team's project on removing copper from stamp sands. It includes: 1) An overview of what eCYBERMISSION is, including that it is a STEM competition administered by the Army and NSTA for teams of 6th-9th graders to identify a problem and propose a solution. 2) Details about a student team from Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools who developed a process to remove copper from stamp sands leftover from copper mining and plate it onto metal to be reused. 3) The accomplishments of the team, who were 1st in Michigan and regional finalists in the competition.

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IT STARTS
HERE.
DD Month YYYY
Name of Presenter
Position/Title
eCYBERMISSION: A great way to
explore science and engineering
Gretchen Hein, Michigan Technological University
Erin Lester, eCYBERMISSION Volunteer Manager
Siona Beaufoin, Beau Hakala, William Lyons, Gabriel
Poirier, Lake Linden-Hubbell School

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• What is eCYBERMISSION
• Advisor Perspective
• Student Project/Work
Outline
Gabe, Beau, William, Siona

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What is eCYBERMISSION
• STEM initiative offered by the Army Educational
Outreach Program (AEOP)
• Administered by the National Science Teachers
Association (NSTA)
• Web-based competition.
– Teams identify a problem in their community and
– Use Scientific Inquiry or Engineering Design Process to propose a
solution to that problem
• Free for students in 6th - 9th grade
• Teams compete for State, Regional and National Awards

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How to Participate
• 23,323 Students Participated
2015-2016
• 10,457 were female
• Girls were members of
each National Winning
Team
• 808 Team Advisors
• 733 Teachers/75 Other
• 545 Female Team Advisors

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Mission Folder Judging Criteria

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2015-2016 National Winners

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Why eCYBERMISSION
• Lake Linden-Hubbell Schools
– Located in a remote, rural region
– Small school (600 students in K-12, 40-50 students in a class)
– 90%+ graduation rate, but only 19% of area has college degree
• Students were interested in a science after school
project, but resources were limited
• eCYBERMISSION:
– Low barrier to entry
– Range of choices for the student team
– Supportive services available to team and advisor
– Team could participate up through 9th grade

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• 7th Graders:
– Siona Beaudoin
– Beau Hakala
– William Lyons
– Gabriel Poirier
• Began meeting in December 2015
• Submitted Mission Folder February 2016
• Project: Removal of Copper from Stamp Sands
Whiz Kids, 2015-2016
Gabe, Beau, William, Siona

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Why?
• When copper is mined, the
copper is “stamped” out of the
rock. The leftover rock is stamp
sand.
• Copper mining left many piles of
stamp sand in Michigan’s
Keweenaw Peninsula
• Stamp sands have about 3%
copper left in them along with
other metals (arsenic, silver,
cadmium, lead)
• Develop a method to:
– Remove the copper from the
stamp sand
– Plate it onto a metal to be re-used
Our School
The Whiz Kids by the Lake Linden Village stamp
sand pile. These are used on the roads in the
winter.
The “tan” portions are
stamp sands that were
deposited in Torch Lake.

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Mission Folder Components
• Team Collaboration
– How the team worked together
– How the team accomplished their goals
• Research
– What are stamp sands
– Why are they a concern
– What are methods to remove copper from a solid
– What are methods to solidify copper so it can be
reused
• Experimental Procedure
– Nitric/Sulfuric Acid Solution was used to remove
copper from stamp sand
– Electroplating was used to deposit copper on
brass tags so it could be used elsewhere

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Mission Folder Components
• Data Analysis
– Pennies dissolved in copper resulting in
the most plating
– Copper was removed from stamp sand
and plated
• Experimental Issues
– Experiment took longer than expected
– Needed a higher quality plating set-up
• (too much resistance in circuit)
• Community Benefit
– Process could be developed for a
chemistry class
– Much work would need to be done for it
to work on a large scale
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
Acid
Only
Acid
Only
Avg
Pennies
13
Pennies
14
Pennies
Average
Stamp
Sand 16
Stamp
Sand 17
Stamp
Sand 18
Stamp
Sand
Avg
Ground
Copper
19
Ground
Copper
21
Ground
Native
Copper
Avg
CHANGEINMASS(G)
CONTENTS AND TAG #
Overall brass plate mass changes after
electroplating in sulfuric/nitric acid
solutions (# = brass tag)
After Plating in
Sulfuric/Nitric Acid
Day 2 Sulfuric/Nitric Acid
Beakers

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• 1st eCYBERMISSION Team in our area
• 1st place 7th Grade Team in Michigan
– 354 Michigan Students participated
• Regional Finalist Team
– 2,250 North Central Students participated
• Team plans on participating this year
Project Accomplishments

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Conclusion
• eCYBERMISSION is:
– Project-based science/engineering competition
– Open to all students in grades 6-9
• Interested in eCYBERMISSION
– https://www.ecybermission.com
– Registration ends February 22, 2017