Say Hello to the Next Generation of CyberPatriots

Someone somewhere hacked into federal government computers recently and stole sensitive personal and employment information about millions of federal employees. Welcome to the brave new world of cyber-espionage. Now say hello to the next generation of CyberPatriots. VVHS and CSHS students busy learning how to defend against such cyber attacks. Teachers Donna Woods (CSHS) and Chris Lorenz (VVHS) have teamed up this year to create the Collaborative CyberPatriot Training Academy and take advantage of curriculum provided by the Air Force Association to teach students about such techy topics as firewalls, encryption and “command line monitoring.” They’re also preparing for MVUSD’s first participation in next month’s annual National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, involving finding and fixing various computer vulnerabilities. Students compete in a series of online rounds for a chance to earn an all-expenses-paid trip to the in-person CyberPatriot National Finals Competition in Baltimore in the spring. There, students have the opportunity to win scholarships and network with industry leaders.