CyberPatriot Designates Huntsville City Schools as a Center of Excellence

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Force Association's CyberPatriot program has announced Huntsville City Schools as its seventh 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 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 six other entities – Los Angeles Unified School District, the City of San Antonio, Spokane Public Schools, Rose State College (Okla.), Fairfax County Public Schools (Va.), and STEMspark East Tennessee Innovation Hub.

The Huntsville City School system is one of the premier school districts in the state of Alabama, with 64 Pre-K programs, 21 elementary schools, 5 middle schools and 2 junior high, 6 high schools, and 5 P-8 schools, providing services for more than 23,000 students.  Since joining the CyberPatriot program in 2013, Huntsville City schools have placed both an Open Division and All Service Division team in the National Finals Competition, have won first and second place in the Open Division, and have also been recognized with a CyberPatriot Coach of the Year. It is truly a testament to the success of our students and teachers in the CyberPatriot program.

The success stems in large part from the school system's collaboration with the Alabama State Department of Education to develop a four-year cybersecurity curriculum to help prepare students to pursue cybersecurity postsecondary education and careers. The Huntsville City School system has also developed partnerships with local industry leaders to secure internships for CyberPatriot Competitors, and has helped prepare  students to earn professional credentials including COMPTIA's Fundamentals, Network +, and Security +.  In addition, the school system offers training to first-time Coaches and Mentors.

Huntsville City Schools' dedication to CyberPatriot has not gone unnoticed. They have been featured in interviews with CBS Sunday Morning News and National Public Radio, increasing local and national awareness of cybersecurity education as a critical workforce need. The school system has also earned recognition and support from the Huntsville City Council, Mayor Battle, Madison County Commission, Alabama State legislators, Governor Bentley, United States Congressional delegation, Cyber Huntsville Industries, and Huntsville City School Board.

For more information on Huntsville City Schools and CyberPatriot's Center of Excellence program, visit http://uscyberpatriot.org/about/centers-of-excellence.

SOURCE Air Force Association

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