Press release from Red Bank Regional High School
The Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot program, the nation’s largest and fastest growing youth cyber education (STEM) program, has designated Red Bank Regional High School as a “CyberPatriot Center of Excellence” in providing leadership and support to students through their CyberPatriot program.
According to the AFA, “The Center of Excellence designation, established in 2011, is awarded to communities and institutions that provide leadership and support to further the educational experiences of their students through the CyberPatriot program.” The program is dedicated to strengthening cyber skills among American youth, and RBR is one of only eleven school districts in the Center’s history singled out for this accolade throughout the United States.
“Over the course of RBR’s involvement in CyberPatriot, team coaches have coordinated with AFA NJ leadership to host a ‘How to Start a CyberPatriot Team’ workshop, and they continue to respond to requests for start-up assistance from new coaches in and outside of the state,” the AFA explains. “Additionally, the District has made efforts to improve diversity in its teams by participating in STEM summer programs that directly target recruitment of females, African-American and Latino students.”
“RBR has been highly successful in creating a real sense of excitement around the CyberPatriot program through recognition at Board of Education meetings, Town Council meetings, and recognition from the County, Freeholders, and congratulatory visits from the Lt. Governor. This type of support inspires more students to view CyberPatriot as a competitive activity that provides rewards similar or equal to those of varsity sports.”
RBR developed a Cybersecurity curriculum through its Academy of Information Technology in 2008. Its association with the CyberPatriot program dates back to 2010, when the competition was opened to comprehensive high schools. At that first competition, RBR took the National Championship among 150 high school participants.
Over the next seven years, RBR teams continued to take either regional or state championships in an exponentially more competitive contest. Last year, RBR’s Team Maroon finished in second place nationally in a competition that grew to include more than 2200 school participants. Additionally, RBR coach Mandy Galante was recently named the CyberPatriot Coach of the Year. Both RBR coaches Mandy Galante and Jeremy Milonas were previously by the NJ AFA as a State Teacher of the Year. Go here for more information on Red Bank Regional High School District and CyberPatriot’s Center of Excellence program.
