CyberPatriots at Northeast Lauderdale High gear up for national competition
Published 6:31 pm Wednesday, August 29, 2018
- Paula Merritt / The Meridian StarDayana Fernande-Castillo, left, Kiara Malone and Dennilyn Hoang take notes as Aabha Mantri and Prince Kelly work on a binary code on a board at Northeast Lauderdale High School. The students, members of the Navy Junior ROTC CyberPatriot Team, are gearing up for a national competition in Baltimore next spring.
Prince Kelly,17, has been interested in computers since he was young.
The senior at Northeast Lauderdale High School is one of many students in the school’s Navy JROTC CyberPatriot computer coding program. The program, which is starting its third year at the school, teaches young people about cybersecurity. They compete online to safeguard the cybersecurity for a fictional company.
The team’s competitive nature is paying off – the students have won first place in three out of four national competitions, with Kelly taking the top prize in a global competition.
CyberPatriot is a National Youth Cyber Education Program that involves teams of students tasked with managing the network of a fictional company.
During the competition, teams are given a set of images that represent operating systems and have to find security vulnerabilities while maintaining critical services in a six-hour period. The program was started by the United States Air Force.
The team is starting the new school year by gearing up for the national competition in Baltimore next April. The first qualifying round, which involves basic tests of cybersecurity skills, starts in early November.
Kelly said that since they set the bar so high last year, they want to uphold their title. He said the first time they competed, they were nervous, but after winning so many awards, they know what to expect.
A challenge
Kelly is the team’s commander, and teaches his fellow students computer coding and basic website building using HTML and CSS. He mostly teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with an emphasis on one-on-one interaction.
“I try to be really hands-on,” said Kelly.
Aabha Mantri, a junior, said she’s always been interested in computers, but didn’t know that ROTC included classes on technology. She likes being part of the team because it challenges her and gives her the chance to do things most kids at her school don’t get to do.
“It’s really fun,” Mantri said.
Dayana Fernandez-Castillo is new to the program, but said she’s enjoying it so far. She said she looks up to Kelly, even thought he is a peer.
“He never hesitates to help out,” said Mantri.
Naval Service Instructor Chief Kent Malone, who heads the program, said activities like computer coding are just one way to challenge students. He hopes to inspire them to succeed and build their self-confidence.
Looking around the classroom, Malone said his students represent what America is all about, because they come from different backgrounds.
Working as a team
The students have learned many things from being CyberPatriots – it’s taught them to work as a team, be quick thinkers and to thrive under pressure. Kelly said one thing that CyberPatriots shares with the JROTC is the discipline, while Mantri has learned the value of teamwork.
“If we can’t think as one, then we can’t go anywhere,” said Mantri.
After graduating in December, Kelly plans to head to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study astronomy, with the ultimate goal of working for NASA.
Mantri will take over as the team’s commander when he leaves. She said she’s nervous about filling his shoes, because he will leave such a strong legacy for the team.
But she’s excited about leading her fellow students.
“I willing to do want to takes for the unit, and it’s for us,” said Mantri.
