News Summary
Metro Augusta has been awarded as the 15th CyberPatriot Center of Excellence in the U.S., highlighting its commitment to youth cyber-education. This designation, unique to Georgia and South Carolina, supports STEM initiatives and aids in developing cybersecurity skills among K-12 students. Collaboration from local stakeholders and significant growth in regional CyberPatriot teams have contributed to this achievement. The CyberPatriot program fosters cyber skills and awareness, culminating in competitions that support the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
Metro Augusta has been recognized as the 15th CyberPatriot Center of Excellence in the United States, a notable achievement awarded by the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot Program Office. The designation highlights Metro Augusta’s commitment to advancing youth cyber-education and providing crucial resources for developing a future cybersecurity workforce.
As the only CyberPatriot Center of Excellence in Georgia and South Carolina, this program plays a pivotal role in promoting STEM initiatives for K-12 students. By strengthening essential cyber skills, the initiative aims to nurture the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Since its inception in 2016, the local program has significantly expanded, coordinating efforts across the seven-county Fort Gordon Cyber District, which includes Burke, Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, and Richmond counties in Georgia, as well as Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina.
According to the Executive Director of the Alliance for Fort Gordon, credit for this recognition is attributed to the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including the education committee of the Alliance, school superintendents, local business partnerships, regional CyberPatriot teams, and the Fort Gordon Adopt-a-School program. The regional teams have grown impressively, increasing from eight in 2016 to over 100 in the previous year.
The CyberPatriot program is recognized nationally for strengthening cybersecurity education and workforce development. Other renowned CyberPatriot Centers of Excellence include institutions such as the Los Angeles Unified School District and schools in San Antonio and Huntsville, Alabama.
The CyberPatriot program champions educational efforts that culminate in the annual National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. In its 11th season, this competition featured nearly 24,000 student participants, with approximately 6,400 teams entering, only 28 of which qualified for the National Finals held at the Inner Harbor Hyatt Regency Hotel in Baltimore. During the event, participants showcased their cyber skills in various challenges, further highlighting the importance of cultivating future cyber leaders.
The competition included several divisions with distinguished champions emerging, such as Team Troy Tech Support from Troy High School in California, which claimed the Open Division title. Team Byte Sized Falcons from Scripps Ranch High School secured the All Service Division title, while Team CyberAegis Chaos from Oak Valley Middle School captured the Middle School Division championship. Additionally, the winners showcased their expertise in Cisco Networking Challenges as well, highlighting their skills in technology and cyber defense.
This year, Northrop Grumman awarded $49,500 to the winners of CyberPatriot XI, contributing to a total exceeding $450,000 in scholarships since the program’s launch in 2011. All members of the top three teams in both high school divisions received scholarships as recognition for their hard work and achievements. Furthermore, Betty Hemby from The Boeing Company and Meghan Barnes from AT&T were honored with the CyberPatriot Order of Merit for their outstanding contributions to STEM education.
CyberPatriot is recognized as the largest and fastest-growing youth cyber-education program in the United States. It serves to foster cyber awareness and skills through competitions and initiatives tailored to different educational levels, encouraging young people to explore careers in cybersecurity. The success of this program in Metro Augusta exemplifies the community’s proactive stance toward addressing the growing need for cybersecurity professionals.
For further information about the CyberPatriot program and its initiatives, interested individuals can visit their official website.
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Additional Resources
- Community Impact News
- Wikipedia: Cybersecurity
- Augusta Chronicle
- Google Search: CyberPatriot
- Air & Space Forces Magazine
- Google Scholar: Cyber Education
- Community Impact: Education Programs in San Antonio
- Encyclopedia Britannica: STEM Initiatives
- Affilcoin News
- Google News: Cybersecurity Education
Author: STAFF HERE SAN ANTONIO WRITER
The SAN ANTONIO STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESanAntonio.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in San Antonio, Bexar County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Fiesta San Antonio, San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and Dia de los Muertos. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, plus leading businesses in retail, insurance, and energy that power the local economy such as H-E-B, USAA, and Valero Energy. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREDallas.com, and HEREHouston.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
