Pikes Peak State College is again joining forces with several schools in the region to educate the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

By providing classroom space and some of the instructors for the Denver Brigade Army JROTC Cyber Camp, PPSC will solidify its reputation as a leader and facilitator of cybersecurity collaboration and learning on the Front Range.  

The twenty-seven participating students will be from five Denver High School Army JROTC programs, Colorado Springs’ Air Academy and Sand Creek high schools, Air Force JROTC programs and The Pueblo West High School Army JROTC Program. 

Major (retired) Scott Lynch, senior army instructor, Denver North High School JROTC, will coordinate this Air Force Association (AFA) Cyber Camp Program, which wrote the curriculum. PPSC will provide the cyber lab and teachers, some of whom just completed PPSC's GenCyber Teacher’s Camp and will be practicing their new knowledge. 

Regis University and Norwich University are also supplying instructors. Articulation agreements with these schools allow students who attain their cybersecurity associate degree at PPSC to complete their Bachelor of Science from them.

"These AFA camps are designed to get students excited about STEM career opportunities and teach them important cyber defense skills through hands-on instruction and activities," said Lynch. 

Students will learn how to protect their personal devices and information from outside threats, as well as how to harden entire networks running Windows 8, 10 and Ubuntu operating systems.  

There will be guest speakers from Secure Set, The Colorado National Guard G6 office, the State of Colorado Office of IT Governance and Coalfire, a Denver-based cyber security consultant.

The Camp will culminate in a final team competition that simulates real cybersecurity situations faced by industry professionals and mimics USAFA’s Cyber Patriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. 

The Denver Brigade Army JROTC Cyber Camp will run 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 10-14 at the PPSC Computer Lab, Suite 102, Catalyst Campus.