Securing our eCity Foundation announces 2017 SoCal Cyper Cup Challenge winners

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Securing Our eCity® Foundation, in partnership with the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), National University, and Leidos is proud to announce the winners of the SoCal Cyber Cup Challenge. The cyber defense competition was open to all high school and middle school students and expanded into Imperial, San Diego, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The event is the hallmark of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) outreach initiatives.

Securing Our eCity® Foundation, in partnership with the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), National University, and Leidos is proud to announce the winners of the SoCal Cyber Cup Challenge. The cyber defense competition was open to all high school and middle school students and expanded into Imperial, San Diego, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The event is the hallmark of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) outreach initiatives.

There were over 800 students that participated in the challenge this year. In the end, there were eight winning final schools in both the High School and Middle School levels, representing San Diego at the March 25 finals held at the UCSD Super Computer Center. The Cyber Cup’s goal is to encourage students to learn about computer security threats by providing an educational venue in which students are able to apply the theories and practical skills they have learned, and foster a spirit of teamwork, ethical behavior and effective communication both within and across teams.

Securing Our eCity Foundation with the help Cubic Corporation, Beyond ordinary Software, Warlock Cyber, NDIA San Diego Chapter, Rave Inc., Deloitte, The Ranger and Knowledge Made Software combined toward a total of $19,000 in scholarship funds to the top four teams in both the Varsity and Junior Varsity levels. The donation supports the 2017/18 school programs and gives back to the participating final schools. The winning monies go to fund further future cyber programs for the Schools. In addition, the top two Varsity Level schools will represent the SoCal region in the California Cyber Cup Innovation Challenge. The goal of the SoCal Cyber Cup Challenge is to help inspire today’s youth to follow into tomorrow’s leaders.

The 2017 top winners of the SoCal Cyber Cup Challenge are:

High School Varsity Level Winners:

1st Place, $4,000 – Del Norte High School

2nd Place, $3,000 – Westview High School

3rd Place, $2,000 – Grossmont High School  

4th Place, $500 – Canyon Crest Academy

Middle School Junior Varsity Level Winners:

1st Place, $4,000 – Oak Valley Middle School

2nd Place, $3,000 – Black Mountain Middle School

3rd Place, $2,000 – Design 39 Campus

4th Place, $500 – East Lake Middle School

“Securing Our eCity Foundation is on a mission to help all citizens to become educated about things they can do to improve their cyber safety. However, with the dearth of cyber professionals, we are looking for ways to expedite our future cyber defenders,” said Liz Fraumann, executive director of Securing Our eCity. “SoCal Cyber Cup Challenge is one of the core activities of our Foundation that we are actively engaged in helping to bring to the forefront of all greater San Diego regional schools. We are honored to be a part of this exemplary activity for the students and businesses in our region. We applaud the young men and women who have chosen to dedicate their time and talent to this experience.”

The top winners of the 2017 So Cal Cyber Cup, Varsity level, have been invited to participate in an elite Cyber Boot Camp this summer that is organized and facilitated by Securing Our eCity Foundation. These San Diego teens are the top cyber crime fighters in our state and they will pave the path to the future in the fastest growing job sector setting the bar that we can all learn from. The Cyber Boot Camp will be held in June at a leading DoD organization.