Cyber-GuildTM Announces Golden Ticket

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To promote cyber security skills, knowledge, and engagement of entire communities Cyber-Guild, a pillar program of synED, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is excited to announce the Golden Ticket prize for high school cyber teams.

Ten winning cyber teams will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the NASA U.S. Cyber Camp in August of 2020! Teams must meet or exceed a base criteria to qualify as one of the 10 selected teams. Teams will be flown from the nearest major airport (i.e., SFO, LAX, SAN), to spend a week with Astronauts, FBI agents, and elite representatives from across the U.S. that focus on cyber in their careers. Team members must be between the ages of 15-18 years old and be U.S. citizens. The teams will experience hands-on learning, some programming, forensics, and much more.

With nine months to accomplish the rigorous requirements, teams will be challenged at every step of the process, as they try to earn their right to claim a Golden Ticket. This will take focus, dedication, and perseverance by every team trying to claim a ticket to the U.S. Cyber Camp.

"Space is the next cyber frontier. Our digital society's reliance on space-based assets and capabilities is an Achilles heel not only for our military security, but also our economic security," said synED Board member, Sheila Zuehlke, Major General (Ret), USAF. "The cyber threats are very real, and we must train our youth early with critical thinking exercises and hone their cyber skills to outmaneuver bad cyber actors who threaten our way of life."

Cyber-Guild Director, Liz Fraumann shared, "We could not be more thrilled to offer the Golden Ticket opportunity to our high school students. The campaign and associated projects we have designed for the teams will stretch them in new ways. They will hone their skills, engage across their communities, and learn valuable lessons about cybersecurity and how it is truly a shared responsibility for all of us. The opportunities are endless with a great prize for their effort."

The teams' projects require communities to engage as well. Businesses and organizations should welcome the expertise the students can offer when it comes to the leading cyber hygiene practices and sharing them with their staff. It is a win-win proposition for everyone. Teams have from now to April 15, 2020 to complete all of the projects to be considered for a Golden Ticket. Organizations or individuals wishing to invest are welcome to make a donation at: cyber-guild.org/donate.

As teams progress through their accomplishments they will be awarded digital badges that identify how their gained skills map to the NICE framework work roles. These digital credentials will be important to the students for future job and education applications, regardless of their success in claiming a Golden Ticket.

ABOUT NASA U.S. Cyber Camp
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center's newest STEM camp, U.S. Cyber Camp, allows trainees to delve into the world of cyber technologies through blended hands-on experiences and challenges. Trainees learn the ethics and responsibilities of personal data security for safeguarding professional networks and the challenge of an expanding internet of things. This program balances individual instruction with team building.

ABOUT synED
SynED is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting educational excellence by promoting synergies between traditional, non-traditional and experiential learning to realize the best possible outcomes for students, faculty, business and society.  For more information, visit synED.org

ABOUT the Cyber-Guild Program
Cyber-Guild^TM is the leading integrated community engagement program of synED focused on raising cybersecurity awareness and learning across the United States of America, and globally at all levels. For more information, visit cyber-guild.org.

Media Contact:

Chrissy Ybarra
SynED
866.420.4573 ext. 801
[email protected] 

SOURCE Cyber-Guild