The first annual eCyberMission Expo took place Feb. 21 after school from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Freshmen in Science Teacher Mary Montag’s class displayed their projects that addressed issues that they thought were important and showed their creative solutions. The expo was hosted in Donnelly.

One group, GALP, focused their project on making voting easier for the homeless. Their project created an iris recognition machine that would be situated at local polling stations. The group wanted to focus on two real world problems.

“Politics and poverty,” freshman Abigail Hennessy said.

Local scientists, parents and teachers attended the event to help the students improve on their presentations and give feedback.

Many test trials were completed to get the final product.

“We went through two Iris scanners just to get the right one,” Hennessy said.

GALP was interviewed by 41 Action News and admitted the expo was helpful.

“Whether it was being interviewed by 41 Action News or just briefly explaining our project to a parent, I had a really good time, and it was a really good learning experience,” said Hennessy.

Overall, the expo hosted 27 other projects conducted by freshmen. Some groups addressed different issues like improving gun safety by having mounted cameras on guns that would issue an alarm when the gun was removed from its mount. Other groups made a thumbprint activated machine that would distribute feminine products so all women and girls can have access to feminine hygiene products.