CYBERPATRIOT
The National Youth Cyber Education ProgramAir Force Association Presenting Sponsor
CyberPatriot is…the premier
national youth cyber education
program created to inspire high
school and middle school students
toward careers in cybersecurity
or other science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) disciplines critical to our
nation’s future. The program
was created by the Air Force
Association. The Northrop
Grumman Foundation is the
presenting sponsor.
www.uscyberpatriot.org
More information:
[email protected] or 877-885-5716
Air Force Association
1501 Lee Hwy
nSuite 400
nArlington, VA 22209
Air Force AssociationSecuring Networks, Securing Futures
public safety, and national defense.
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The key to protecting networks is people.
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The U.S. is not attracting enough young
people to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. CyberPatriot excites,
educates, and motivates the next generation of cyber defenders; raises public awareness; and promotes safer practices among cyber users across the nation.
high schools, scouting units, Boys and Girls Clubs, and approved high school home school programs around the country.
◗ All Service High School Division:
JROTC Programs/CAP/Sea Cadet Corps
◗ Middle School Division:
Open to teams of middle school students.
◗ Entry fee: $195 covers: Software
and training materials for teams to prepare and compete; participant kits; and all travel costs for teams that qualify for the in-person National Finals Competition.
◗ Fee waived for JROTC/CAP/Sea Cadet Corps teams whose HQs agree to fund travel.
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Preliminary rounds are conducted online from
the teams’ home locations.
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The National Finals Competition takes place
in the Baltimore, MD Inner Harbor area each spring.
most critical needs by motivating talented students toward education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics who will become our future leaders in the STEM workforce.
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The competition creates a career path for today’s students, fostering continued education from middle school, to high school, and through college or vocational education and into the workforce.
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We need to identify our country’s next
generation of cyber leaders.
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Any student can leverage the CyberPatriot
experience toward a career in this critical field.
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The competition increases awareness of and
practical techniques for protection of personal information in our cyber-enabled world.
opportunity for your students. The CyberPatriot mentor program can bring an industry expert into your classroom to help teach cyber skills.
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Mentor/Team Assistant: Are you a
cyber-skilled expert? Or do you just want to help? Register to be a Technical Mentor or Team Assistant for a team in your area or online.
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Students: Recruit a Coach and organize a team. n
Parents: Encourage your student to participate
and your school to support.
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Civic Groups/Businesses: Sponsor teams
in your area with entry fees, equipment, or expertise.
www.uscyberpatriot.org
To join our mailing list, scan this code with your scanning app.Air Force Association
EDUCATION
Cyber Gold
AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION’S
NATIONAL YOUTH CYBER EDUCATION PROGRAM
CYBERPATRIOT
Presenting Sponsor Cyber Diamond Cyber Gold Cyber Silver
Development Partner
Air Force Association
THE NATIONAL YOUTH CYBER DEFENSE
COMPETITION
The national youth cyber defense competition is a tournament structured event in which teams of 2-5 students are scored on how well they identify and secure known vulnerabilities on a virtual network.
• Students compete in three divisions:
• Open High School Division: Open to all high schools, scouting units, Boys and Girls Clubs, and approved high school home school programs.
• All Service High School Division: JROTC Programs /CAP/Sea Cadet Corps
• Middle School Division: Open to teams of middle school students.
• After a series of online qualification rounds, the top teams advance to the National Finals Competition, an in-person event held in in Baltimore, Md., each spring.
• Winners are awarded scholarships, and all registered competitors are eligible to apply for internship opportunities.
• The competition is not only fun and exciting, it also creates a career path for today’s students, fostering continued education from high school through college and into the beginning of their careers.
AFA C
YBERC
AMPSCyberCamps emphasize fun, hands-on learning of cybersecurity principles that are relevant and applicable to everyday life.
• Students will learn the importance of cyber safety and how to protect their personal devices and information from outside threats.
• Designed for high school or middle school students, depending on the desire of the host organization.
• Host organizations can order a 20-hour
CyberCamp Standard Curriculum Kit (starting at $1,050) or a 5-hour CyberCamp Competition Kit (starting at $450).
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CYBER EDUCATION
INITIATIVE (COMING SOON!)
Using computer training software, the Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative is designed to:
• Excite students about education in cybersecurity and other STEM disciplines. • Help students understand the widespread
importance of cybersecurity in their everyday lives and equip them with skills to better protect themselves on the Internet • Encourage students to apply cyber ethics
principles in their online interactions
CyberPatriot in Schools
CyberPatriot is the Air Force Association’s National Youth Cyber Education Program, created to motivate students towards careers in cybersecurity and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The program features the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition for high school and middle school students, AFA CyberCamps, and an Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative.
For more information about the CyberPatriot programs, visit www.uscyberpatriot.org.
Air Force Association
CyberPatriot is the premier national youth cyber education program created to inspire high school and middle school students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future. The program was created by the Air Force Association. The Northrop Grumman Foundation is the presenting sponsor.
THE NATIONAL YOUTH CYBER DEFENSE COMPETITION
What makes up a team?
Each CyberPatriot team requires a coach, usually a teacher or adult leader of a team-sponsoring organization. Coaches need no special technical background. Any teacher or youth organization leader with the desire to help students learn something new, exciting and relevant can be a great
CyberPatriot coach!
In addition to the coach, a team is made up of two to six students (5 competitors, 1 alternate). Students must be registered with the CyberPatriot Program office and must be enrolled with the school or organization they are competing with. All cyber teaching materials are provided, and there is no course or skill prerequisite for the program. Any student with the interest can join a team and be successful.
In cases where a team needs help with computer basics, the Coach can request help from qualified Technical Mentors. Technical Mentors are local volunteers who possess appropriate IT knowledge and skills. Background checks are required of all Technical Mentors in our mentor network.
What does a school need to participate?
One to three computers and an Internet connection are required for occasional weekend use during the online portions of the competition. Computer hardware requirements are modest, and most schools already have computers that meet the technical specifications of the competition. The computer technical requirements are available on www.uscyberpatriot.org. In the event that a school
cannot provide the needed equipment or Internet connection, CyberPatriot will assist in attempting to provide possible leads in locating equipment. For teams needing alternate Internet connection, CyberPatriot will provide AT&T Air Cards (provided on a needs/first come-first serve basis). CyberPatriot’s goal is to make sure that every team that wants to participate can participate. There is a modest $195 registration fee for each team registered ($155 for Middle School teams). JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, and Naval Sea Cadet teams pay no fee. In return, the team receives access to the Microsoft Developers Network Academic Alliance software. This allows the team to download a number of operating systems and productivity tools that can be used to prepare for the competition, a benefit that alone is worth several thousand dollars. Each registered team member also receives a CyberPatriot participant kit. Past kits have included a t-shirt, commemorative coin, official
competitor’s pin, and other CyberPatriot gear.
AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION’S
NATIONAL YOUTH CYBER EDUCATION PROGRAM
CYBERPATRIOT
Presenting Sponsor Cyber Diamond Cyber Gold Cyber Silver
Development Partner
Air Force Association
What training materials do we need?
Although coaches are welcome to supplement the provided teaching materials as they wish, all materials necessary for a successful competition are provided on the CyberPatriot website. Teachers (and other coaches) are encouraged to use the provided materials not solely for use in preparing their team for competition, but also to educate all students in their school or organization about good cyber security practices and safe computer and Internet use.
How does competition work?
Teams compete in three divisions:
• Open High School Division: Open to all high schools, scouting units, Boys and Girls Clubs, and approved high school home school programs across the country
• All Service Division: High school JROTC Programs / Civil Air Patrol units / Naval Sea Cadet Corps units
• Middle School Division: Open to teams of middle school students
The early rounds of the competition are done online during weekends from the teams’ home locations (schools, homes, libraries, etc.).
Prior to the rounds, teams download “virtual image” representations of operating systems with known flaws, or cybersecurity “vulnerabilities.” Teams must find the flaws while keeping computer functions working. Team progress is recorded by a central CyberPatriot scoring system.
For the Open and All Service divisions, scores from two online qualification rounds are added together to determine team placement into one of three tiers for the State Round: Platinum, Gold, or Silver. These tiers have cybersecurity challenges of different degrees of complexity, with Platinum being the tier with the highest degree of difficulty and the only tier where teams have the opportunity to advance to the National Finals competition. After the online State Round, the top teams in each state advance to the Regional Round for the Open Division. The top six teams in each All Service Division category advance to the Category Round.
Following the Regional and Category rounds, the top 12 Open Division teams and top two teams from each All Service Division category (Air Force/Army/Marine Corps/Navy JROTC, CAP, USNSCC) and one wild card team advance, all-expenses paid, to the in-person National Finals Competition held in Baltimore, Maryland. There, the Finalists compete face-to-face against other teams in their division to defend virtual networks from a professional aggressor team. Winners of the National Finals are awarded scholarship grants.
The Middle School competition is slightly different. After two qualifying rounds, the top 50% of teams advance to the Semifinals. From there, the top three teams advance to the National Finals
Competition.
For more information, visit www.uscyberpatriot.orgor call 877-885-5716. Registration deadline for CyberPatriot VIII is October 9, 2015.
Air Force Association
What is a technical mentor?
A mentor is a cyber-knowledgeable individual who helps CyberPatriot coaches and teams prepare for the competition. Mentors:
• Serve as technical advisors and role models to CyberPatriot teams.
• Work with as many—or as few—teams as they choose.
• Work with teams in their area, or serve as “virtual mentors” working with teams entirely online.
• Work with teams as much or as little as they can. The mentor-team relationship is left to mentors and coaches to determine.
What skills do mentors need?
Mentors should enjoy working with high school and/or middle school students and should have a working knowledge of computers. A familiarity with operating systems and computer networks is needed, but mentors need not be cyber experts.
What is a team assistant?
A team assistant is any individual who wishes to help a CyberPatriot coach and team prepare for the competition, but who may not have the technical knowledge required to be a mentor.
How does this differ from a coach?
A coach is responsible for all aspects of a team’s CyberPatriot activities and preparation, and must be part of the school or organization the team represents (e.g.—a teacher). A technical mentor is someone who helps a coach with technical aspects of CyberPatriot. Mentors need not be part of the school faculty or staff, and are often willing community members who are technically proficient and enjoy helping youth explore an exciting new technical field. A team assistant is someone who assists a coach with a team’s CyberPatriot activities and preparation. Team assistants need not be part of the school or faculty staff, not do they need to be technically proficient.
How can I become a CyberPatriot
Volunteer?
It’s easy!
• Visit www.uscyberpatriot.org, click “Register” and select “Team or Volunteer Registration” • Complete “Mentor Application”
• Submit to a voluntary background check • When your registration is complete, Coaches
in your area will be able to contact you
The CyberPatriot Volunteer Program
What is CyberPatriot?
CyberPatriot is the premier national youth cyber education program designed to excite, educate, and motivate the next generation of cyber defenders critical to our nation’s future security. The program features the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, a tournament-style competition in which high school and middle school students compete to defend a computer network against attack in a series of web-based competition rounds. The competition culminates at the National Finals in Washington, D.C. each spring.