The Virginia Information Technologies Agency and the Virginia Department of Education announced their list of cyber scholars for the CyberStart America competition.
Each winner received a cyber training scholarship worth approximately $3,000.
Virginia ranked as one of the top five states nationally for the number of students registered for CyberStart America this year, with 24 students named as semi-finalists and 219 students named as finalists in the competition.
“Virginia students’ strong participation and performance in the CyberStart America competition is indicative of how critical cybersecurity is in our schools, our government and our society,” said Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth Robert Osmond. “We are so proud of our national cyber scholars and all our students who participated in CyberStart America; we look forward to continued growth and success in the future.”
The CyberStart America competition, in partnership with the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation and the SANS Institute, offers students in grades 9 through 12 free access to CyberStart, an immersive cybersecurity training game. Students can play the game to learn more about cybersecurity and build skills that could prepare them for a career in technology.
“We are committed to ensuring that our students have an opportunity to learn about cybersecurity – whether it’s how to stay safe online or begin working toward a career in the field,” said Chief Information Security Officer of the Commonwealth Michael Watson. “The CyberStart America competition is a great opportunity to give our students an early start in cybersecurity.”
To learn more about the competition or the training, visit cyberstartamerica.org