It sounds cliché, but the world is changing rapidly. Careers that are now essential didn’t even exist when I was young. That makes it tough for parents and teachers to ensure kids are prepared for the future. This can be particularly challenging for homeschoolers or kids in rural areas who don’t have the resources often found in larger schools.
When my then‐15‐year‐old daughter expressed interest in cyber security, we found a program called CyberPatriot, which is sponsored by the Air Force Association. Kids form teams, learn about cyber security, and work in online competitions to find and fix security flaws in virtual machines.
At first, I was intimidated by the prospect since I know very little about computers beyond using standard programs. My daughter solved this problem by contacting a computer science professor at a local college to see if he’d serve as a mentor. To my surprise, he immediately agreed. The mentor met with my daughter and her teammates and helped them understand the concepts involved in the competition. He showed the kids which training modules would be most important for the initial competition round.
CyberPatriot is very low‐cost, and they offer fee waivers for teams that demonstrate need. The competitions are online, so there aren’t travel expenses involved. There’s also a lot of flexibility since the competition can be completed at your convenience within a 6‑hour window during the specified weekend. The website includes training materials for competitors, resources for coaches, and a list of potential mentors who can help guide teams. You can also reach out to local colleges, high schools, or businesses to find a mentor.
The program has grown significantly over the years and now includes a middle school competition as well as learning modules for elementary school students. There are also a number of no‐ or low‐cost online and in‐person summer camps offered by high schools, colleges, and other organizations.
The CyberPatriot program gave my daughter and her teammates useful skills that helped them understand the importance of securing their own devices. It also exposed them to potential careers that won’t be going away anytime soon. In addition, CyberPatriot helps connect students with scholarship and internship opportunities.
Registration is now open for the 2022–23 competition season. The next exhibition (practice) round starts July 20, so this is a great time to look into it. There are more practice rounds in the fall and the real competition starts mid‐October.
