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Local students to participate in cybersecurity competition this weekend [The Post and Courier, Charleston, S.C.](Post & Courier (Charleston, SC) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 24--Dozens of high school students in the Lowcountry will compete against students across the country this weekend to be named the top defender of national cybersecurity. The National Youth Cyber Defense competition is held each year by the Air Force Association's CyberPatriot program to pique students' interest in cybersecurity careers and other fields related to STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Of the 2,150 teams that will compete this year, 24 are from 12 schools in the Lowcountry, such as R.B. Stall High School, Summerville High School and the Military Magnet Academy. Teams include 8-13 students. Amanda Prevatt, a senior at Stall, has competed for the past three years and received a national award last year for her performance with the high school's team. The first of four rounds will be held this weekend, for six hours on Saturday and again on Sunday. Teams will be provided with flawed operating systems that must be repaired to prevent vulnerabilities to cyberattacks. The teams that succeed will go onto the next round Nov. 14-16. Final rounds will be held in December and January. Half the local teams have opted to participate on board the World War II-era aircraft carrier Yorktown at Patriots Point. The naval and maritime museum, which is also a state agency, offers many student programs that encourage development of STEM skills. "The educational competition conducted on board the USS Yorktown engages students with real world cyber issues, in a real world setting," said Keith Grybowski, director of education at Patriots Point. "This motivational experience creates within a student a computer science curiosity to be explored through high school, college and hopefully, used for employment in the cyber industry." Many of the local teams have been coached by cyberdefense professionals with Boeing, SPAWAR and other Charleston-based companies to prepare them for the competition, according to Patriots Point spokesman Chris Hauff. Reach Abigail Darlington at 937-5906 and follow her on Twitter @A_Big_Gail ___ (c)2014 The Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.) Visit The Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.) at www.postandcourier.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |