AFA's CyberPatriot Names Lee's Summit R-7 School District CyberPatriot Center of Excellence

ARLINGTON, Va., April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Force Association's CyberPatriot program has announced Lee's Summit R-7 School District as its eighth CyberPatriot Center of Excellence.

CyberPatriot, the nation's largest and fastest growing youth cyber education program, is AFA's flagship science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program dedicated to attracting students to STEM education and careers and to strengthening cyber skills among American youth. The Center of Excellence designation is awarded to communities and institutions that provide leadership and support to further the educational experiences of their students through the CyberPatriot program.

CyberPatriot established the Centers of Excellence program in 2011, and has since then recognized seven other entities – Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of San Antonio, Spokane Public Schools, Rose State College (Okla.), Fairfax County Public Schools (Va.), STEMspark East Tennessee Innovation Hub, and Huntsville City Schools (Ala.).

Located in the southeast portion of the Kansas City, Mo. metropolitan area, Lee's Summit R-7 School District (LSR7) has been recognized as one of the top educational systems in the state and nation. With 18 elementary schools, 3 middle schools and 5 high schools, the district provides education to nearly 18,000 students.  Since joining the program in 2012, LSR7 has seen significant growth and success within the CyberPatriot program, being represented in the National Finals Competition four consecutive years between the Open, All Service, and Middle School Divisions. Notably, under the guidance of coach Lisa Oyler, Summit Technology Academy Notably, the team has also swept CyberPatriot's Cisco Networking Challenge each year, and placed third overall the past two years.

Lee's Summit's success stems in large part from LSR7's collaboration with the University of Central Missouri and their combined effort to run the nationally recognized Missouri Innovation Campus (MIC) program. MIC has three programs promoting STEM education, and will soon offer a new cybersecurity degree program in which juniors in high school start in senior level college curricula as well as internships with local companies in the Kansas City area.

The entire Lee's Summit community has come to support local CyberPatriot efforts. CyberPatriot is an official club within the district, giving all of its middle schools and high schools the support to start and run their own CyberPatriot teams. At the middle school level, the district has signed on for an AFA CyberCamp to recruit incoming students. High school students are being offered summer internships and full-time careers by corporate mentors.

Click here for information on Lee's Summit R-7 School District and CyberPatriot's Center of Excellence program.

The Air Force Association is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage.

SOURCE Air Force Association

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