Innovate+Educate Blog

AFA Cyber Patriot shows how STEM helps protect national security

July 26, 2010

The cyber threat against our country’s information network is considered one of our highest defense priorities. The Cyber Patriot Competition designed by the Air Force Association (AFA) to promote the study of computer science and other STEM subjects among high school students aims to help fill the void of qualified professionals in the defense industry now and in the years to come.

The competition pits teams against one another in the defense of a notional computer network against attack by professional hackers.  Pilot tests with Cyber Patriot over the last two years have been highly successful in motivating high school students toward the study of STEM subjects related to the program and toward the pursuit of higher education in the STEM fields.

Recently t he program was recognized by the prestigious Naval Post Graduate School   as “the most significant among cyber-security programs with the greatest reach in securing our homelandfor the future.”

This year the Air force Association will select 1,000 teams to compete for the Commander-in Chief’s Trophy that will be presented this spring in Washington, D.C.  High Schools all around North Carolina are encouraged to field teams.

Interested parties can learn more about the competition by going to the AFA website or by contacting AFA State Vice President Louis Emond by email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The AFA is committed to the enhancement of STEM education and presents grants to primary, middle, and high school teachers who have innovative STEM projects that they are implementing.