is creating enrichment opportunities to train the youngest generation of cybersecurity professionals and teachers through its summer camps. Approximately 120 Â鶹´«Ã½ high school students and teachers participated in a week long?GenCyber Â鶹´«Ã½ high school camp?that started June 6 at .?The week culminated at the with a Grand Challenge that incorporated coded clues that participants had to solve using cybersecurity concepts, tools and skills learned during the week.
During the closing ceremony, students, teachers and parents heard from Governor , UH Vice President Garret Yoshimi and the Commander of National Security Agency Â鶹´«Ã½ Captain Cliff Bean on the strategic importance on cultivating cybersecurity professionals in Â鶹´«Ã½. There was also a mini career fair set up for parents and students to learn more about career opportunities in the cybersecurity industry.?
“Without constantly updating your knowledge, you could end up with as little as 15 percent technical relevancy within just five years. In this environment, it’s not what you know, as much as how fast you can learn that matters,” said Bean.?“With the increasing number of cyber attacks and the number of connected devices and data, the importance of hiring locally for National Security Agency Â鶹´«Ã½ is critical.”?
In the second year of the program, students learned about ethics, cryptography, coding, networking and security. A total of four introductory and intermediate/advanced tracks were taught at Honolulu CC, with one track running concurrently at . The overarching goal of these camps are to educate high school students about academic and career pathways in cybersecurity, and to strengthen the cybersecurity knowledge base of Â鶹´«Ã½ high school teachers.
In addition to the high school camps, teachers from kindergarten through the 8th grade level will participate in five additional tracks designed to integrate cybersecurity concepts into STEM curricula at various locations.
GenCyber Â鶹´«Ã½ summer camp photos
To view more photos from this year’s camp, visit?go to .
Summer camp sponsors
Sponsored by the and the? the goal of the camps is to educate young people about cybersecurity and encourage them to pursue academic and professional careers in this area.?The? and the program at Honolulu CC?worked in partnership with the?, the UH System division, UH Mānoa and UH Maui College to host these camps with financial and advisory support from the .