SAN ANGELO, Texas — On April 4, more than 130 students from San Angelo ISD took a deep dive into the world of cybersecurity at Angelo State University's 3rd Annual Youth Cybersecurity Workshop & Expo.
The event, held at ASU's University Center, aimed to spark interest in STEM fields and expose young learners to potential careers in cybersecurity.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
According to San Angelo ISD, the workshop connected students from 12 elementary schools and three middle schools with industry leaders and provided hands-on experience in cybersecurity through interactive sessions.
Highlights include a virtual escape room, cyber range, and continuous threat detection demo. Additionally, elementary school students participated in his Cyber Threat Protector Skills Expo, where they applied cybersecurity concepts to a competitive card game.
“We are in awe of our students' ability to learn these concepts so quickly,” said Dr. Scarlett Close, dean of the College of Education at Angelo State University. “It's great to talk to the students before the event. They're quite nervous and passive, especially his fifth graders. By the end of the day, they're excited with their newfound knowledge.” You won’t be able to do that.”
The day also included speeches from Mayor Gunter and ASU President Dr. Ronnie Hawkins, who emphasized the important role of cybersecurity in protecting local resources.
“I would like to thank everyone for coming here today. Whether you are a student, teacher, educator, or parent, you are here today because you know how important cybersecurity is. Participating in this activity helps me,” Mayor Gunter said. “As a mayor, cybersecurity is of the utmost importance… As a city, we are responsible for the safety and security of our citizens. If we are not aware of the cybersecurity attacks that can occur in our city, We can't protect our resources, public safety, and many other issues…We can't afford cybersecurity attacks. We can't afford to let our citizens be threatened.
“The most important thing is that at your age, you are more knowledgeable, more informed and more talented than any of us when it comes to STEM and cybersecurity,” said Mayor Gunter. I did. “When I was in high school, I didn't know that word. When I was in college, I didn't know that word. And for most of my life and career, I've never heard the word 'cybersecurity' ever uttered.” I had never done that before. you know more. You are more experienced than I was when I was growing up today. We need your passion and talent to ensure the future of the City of San Angelo. Thank you so much for being here today and for all your efforts. ”
This year's event featured a new scholarship award. ASU awarded her seven high school students with $1,000 Cyber Patriot Scholarships to use at ASU. Congratulations to Lindsay Leyba from CHS. Michae Allen, CHS; Roman Torres, CHS; Faith Franz, CHS; Sebastian Gonzalez, CHS; Jesse Haynes, LVHS. and Riley Janow, LVHS.
A variety of organizations and companies contributed to the workshop, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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