Team meetings are held for 8 hours each week, with tuition at $480 per month, billed from January through March for a total of 3 months. Meetings on Mondays and Thursdays will concentrate on preparing for the picoCTF competition, while the Sunday session will focus on learning new concepts. The meeting times in March may change due to the competition period. Students may also have the option to only attend the Saturday session. The tuition for Saturday sessions only is prorated to $300/month.
This Cybersecurity team is a project within the FutureLink program for selected high school students. In this school year, the team will focus on preparing for the picoCTF competition in March 2025, starting skill-building sessions with a professional cybersecurity coach. After the competition, the team may engage in an AI-powered cybersecurity project or a social impact initiative over the summer to further strengthen their cybersecurity skills. In the next school year, the team members will have the options to participate in both the CyberPatriot and picoCTF competitions.
In fields like computer science, theory can only take you so far. Hands-on work and practical application of your knowledge is the best way to get a better understanding of the subject. As a high school student, participating in computer science competitions can offer such invaluable hands-on experience. Not only will you test your knowledge but also hone your skills and give you a simulation of real-world challenges. One such well-reputed competition is the picoCTF.
PicoCTF is an annual cybersecurity competition designed for students. Its mission is to offer a hands-on learning experience in a gamified environment, covering various aspects of cybersecurity in the process. It was launched in 2013 by students of Carnegie Mellon University and has since then been hosted by the university, going on to include over 39,000 participants. The competition has options for middle, high school, and college students.
CTFs are a great way to apply cybersecurity knowledge in a practical setting, and to learn new skills. Participants are exposed to real-world cybersecurity challenges, which can help them develop analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. CTFs require participants to work together to solve complex problems, so it promotes teamwork, communication, and strategic thinking, fostering personal growth and satisfaction.
The CyberPatriot competition is recognized as both highly competitive and prestigious within the realm of cybersecurity education. Annually attracting over 25,000 student participants from across the United States, the contest exemplifies excellence and challenge, with fewer than 1% of these competitors advancing to the finals. The distinction of reaching this stage is a big accomplishment, and finalists will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Maryland. Finalists will also have the opportunity to compete for scholarship money.
Once we receive your application for the team, we will schedule an interview. If you have any additional questions about the program, please feel free to reach out for more information by calling or texting 503-915-2956.
Instructor:
Joshua Pelino
