Huntsville City Schools
September 2015
Huntsville City Schools is honored by its selection as one of the first CyberPatriot Centers of Excellence in the Southeast United States. CyberPatriot provides students with a challenging, competitive environment stimulating the development of skills and knowledge relevant to national security interests and personal online security. Leadership, team work, communication, and problem-solving skills emerge as a natural outcome of the competition. STEM programs like CyberPatriot establish the link between academics and career in the high demand Cyber workforce. Placing both an Open Division and All Service Division team in the 2015 national finals, winning first place in the Open Division, and winning CyberPatriot Coach of the Year (CP-VII) is a testament to the success of our students and teachers in the CyberPatriot program.
Huntsville City Schools is helping students excel by:
- Increasing CyberPatriot team participation from one team to more than thirty teams in five years of competition
- Collaborating with the Alabama State Department of Education to develop a four-year Cyber Security Curriculum which will prepare students across the state to pursue Cyber Security postsecondary education and careers
- Increasing local and national awareness of Cyber Security education as a critical workforce need through student interviews with CBS Sunday Morning News and National Public Radio
- Working with local and state colleges and universities to support Cyber training for teachers and provide team mentors
- Preparing students to earn professional credentials including COMPTIA's Fundamentals, Network +, Security +, and Certified Ethical Hacker
- Hosting Network Security boot camp to increase number of students with Cyber Security industry certifications
- Hosting a five-day AFA Summer Cyber Security Camp in partnership with the Huntsville Cyber Community
- Hiring CyberPatriot student competitors to instruct and mentor future Cyber students in the AFA Summer Cyber Security Camp
- Recruiting team mentors from local industries including Dynetics, MITRE, SAIC, Army AMRDEC, Aleta, and Raytheon
- Identifying and hiring Cyber Security professionals to teach in HCS
- Developing partnerships with local industry to secure internships for CyberPatriot students
- Increasing STEM college and career opportunities for students through CyberPatriot participation
- Earning recognition and support for CyberPatriot success from Huntsville City Council, Mayor Battle, Madison County Commission, Alabama State legislators, Governor Bentley, United States Congressional delegation, Cyber Huntsville Industries, and Huntsville City School Board