In addition to the five conference tracks at the 2018 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference going on in San Antonio, Texas, attendees were also able to engage in hands-on learning at drop-in sessions during which exhibitors were able to share resources they have used with some success to help advance cybersecurity in the K-12 sector.
In one session, two teachers from North Carolina showcased the progress they have made in educating kids about cybersecurity.
In their presentation, “Bytes for Breakfast - A Small Rural High School’s Answer to Getting Students Excited About Coding and Cybersecurity,” teachers Renee Himmelspach and Amanda Campbell from South Stokes High School in North Carolina said that the name of their club came from the fact that the group meets before school.
The Bytes for Breakfast club, which is in its first year, meets twice a month before the school day begins for students to explore coding using the two Raspberry Pi’s and iPad Pros that were donated to the group. The group also meets once a month after school for an extended period of time.
With as much enthusiasm as Himmelspach and Campbell displayed, Robert Black, CEO and founder of Start Engineering, showcased the Cybersecurity Career Guide, a book designed for classrooms, camps and other outreach programs to introduce students to the myriad career paths available in the field of cybersecurity.
In partnering with Palo Alto Networks, Start Engineering was able to produce the 52-page, magazine-style book that includes a description of different job types, as well as the required education and the likely salary candidates would earn for each position.
Designed for middle and high school students, the publication was released in April and will be updated every two years as job descriptions and technology evolves.