Cybersecurity is an important and rapidly growing field with a high demand for skilled professionals. Early exposure to cybersecurity education equips students with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves from online threats—identity theft, bullying, cyberattacks, and more—and can inspire and prepare them to pursue a related career.
To help students learn about cybersecurity, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is sponsoring a two-month educational program called the NorCalCyber Mayors Cup. The program is being offered to students across Northern California in partnership with synED, a non-profit organization that promotes technology-enabled learning and career readiness by arranging partnerships between education institutions, industry, and government.
Registration for the 5th annual program is open now. Teams of 2–5 students are able to log in to an online practice “gym” starting today to learn from cybersecurity experts across the state. (An unlimited number of teams from each school can participate.) Participants will enjoy weekly “LIVE@5” sessions with exciting guest speakers and important details about goals for the weekly practice.
The program culminates with the “Mayors Cup” competition, which will take place on April 22. Medals will be awarded and the winning high school team will be invited to a city council meeting to present the trophy to their city’s mayor. The winning college team will receive a perpetual trophy to display on campus for the rest of the year.
Last year, “Half Dome,” a team from Franklin High School (Elk Grove USD), took first place from the Greater Sacramento area.
Registration
Online registration is open through April 15, but early registration is encouraged so students get full access to guest speaker presentations and training.
Support from the Sacramento County Office of Education allows the $200 fee to be waived for all middle and high school teams from the Greater Sacramento region and the North/Far North region (including Butte County and others). A payment link will be sent to college teams that register.
Visit the NorCalCyber Mayors Cup website for more information. For questions, please call (916) 704-8917.