Cyber Techies named State Finalists in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow national STEM competition.

The student organization was among the top 300 finalists of over 1,000 submissions across the United States.

A $2,500 award was earned by the team to be used for classroom technology and supplies and has them moving into phase 2 of the competition.

A state win would yield winnings of $12,000 for the newly inaugurated organization.

The CTs considered problems worldwide and focused on an issue that inspired them to solve a pressing need for parents; they are developing an intelligent sensor to be used in vehicles and child carriers to alert parents of the safety risk.

The sensor is to be placed under the fabric of car seats to detect a child’s body heat.

Ivan Silva serves as the advisor for RedGold News Student Publications, where he mentors student journalists and oversees all aspects of the publication. In addition to his work with RGN, Silva teaches Dual Enrollment courses in Speech Communication and Interpersonal Communication, helping students bridge the gap between high school and college-level academics.

He is also an adjunct instructor at South Texas College (STC), where he brings his expertise in communication studies into higher education classrooms. On campus, Silva is actively involved as the UIL Coordinator and UIL Journalism Coach, guiding students to success in academic competitions at the district, regional, and state levels.

Through his combined roles as Journalism Advisor, RGN Advisor, and educator, Silva is dedicated to fostering student voice, leadership, and excellence in communication, both in print and beyond.