Ignite Awareness
Join us this summer for an immersive experience focused on the world of cybersecurity. Hosted by Pennsylvania College of Technology and supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Security Agency, GenCyber 2024 is a national initiative designed to introduce you to a lineup of meaningful and actionable cybersecurity concepts that can be shared in your classroom.
Questions? Contact Alicia McNett, program director.
Learn More
GenCyber Information Session
Thursday, February 29, 2024 | 6:30 p.m.
Interested in learning more? Join us for a brief information session. We'll send the first 15 minutes outlining the program and allow time for questions.
ABOUT THE CAMP
June 24-28, 2024
This hands-on camp aims to provide Pennsylvania educators in grades 5 through 12 with the cybersecurity content knowledge, curricular knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge needed to incorporate cybersecurity learning into existing courses or to teach stand-alone cybersecurity courses. Teachers of all subjects are invited. Our goal is to explore how to best integrate cybersecurity topics across curriculum in grades 5 through 12.
Details
Takeaways
By the end of the program, participants will:
- Have a sound understanding of GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts
- Be able to apply GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts in their daily and professional lives
- Develop and be prepared to deliver lessons plans infused with cybersecurity concepts in their own discipline in order to deliver cybersecurity concepts in their classrooms
- Be able to explain ethical responsibilities and implications of cybersecurity
- Be aware of the variety of cybersecurity career opportunities and skills required in these fields
Format
What is the format?
- 14 hours of pre-camp instruction broken into six virtual sessions to lay the groundwork needed for the summer camp.
- Session 1: April 10, 6-8 p.m.
- Session 2: April 24, 6-8 p.m.
- Session 3: May 8, 6-8:30 p.m.
- Session 4: May 22, 6-8:30 p.m.
- Session 5: June 5, 6-8:30 p.m.
- Session 6: June 19, 6-8:30 p.m.
- We will be recording sessions for teachers with scheduling conflicts.
- A week-long in-person summer camp June 24-28, 2024 (approximately 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day)
- 10 hours of post-camp follow-up activities (will wrap up in fall; dates and times TBA)
- A one-day Cyber Challenge competition during the fall of 2024 hosted by Penn College for teachers and a small group of their students
- 6 hours of virtual sessions that include a showcase, office hours, and program wrap-up activities
Benefits
Why attend this program?
- Be part of a national program designed to increase cybersecurity awareness and promote strengthened cybersecurity education that aims to inform teachers and their students.
- Learn cybersecurity concepts in an interactive, hands-on activities, and games designed to educate participants on many topics including but not limited to: Cyber Hygiene for All, Becoming a White Hat Hacker, Cybersecurity Law & Ethics, Digital Forensics, Tools of the Trade (networking & coding), and Thinking Like an Adversary.
- Learn about career opportunities in the field of cybersecurity through classroom discussion, guest speakers, and panelists who work in diverse cybersecurity roles.
- Learn how to incorporate cybersecurity concepts into your area of education.
- Earn a $1,500 stipend upon completion and be eligible for professional development for Act 48 credit.
Participant Application
Application closes March 15, 2024.
About Camp Staff
Program Director: Alicia McNett
McNett, assistant professor at Penn College, has taught a wide range of IT courses including several security-centric courses such as Fundamentals of Information Security, Secure Software Development & Testing, and Cybersecurity for Non-IT Majors. She also teaches several core IT courses within the program such as programming and systems analysis in addition to a variety of courses for the game and simulation programming degree.
Lead Instructor: Dr. Sandra Gorka
Dr. Gorka leads the cybersecurity and information assurance faculty at Penn College. Her teaching interests include cryptography, auditing, penetration testing, risk analysis, and forensics.
Instructor: R. Scott Alexander
Alexander is a computer systems networking and telecommunications at Jersey Shore High School with more than a 27-year career as an information-technology industry professional, including as a Senior Information Systems Analyst.
Instructor: Dr. Jacob Miller
Dr. Miller, a recently retired professor from Penn College, has taught a variety of courses in the Information Assurance and Cybersecurity degree including cryptography, risk management, contingency planning, forensics, and ATE (Awareness, Training and Education).
FAQs
The program is open to all participants at no cost. Camp is limited to 25 participants. Participants must be a current PA Teacher who teaches in grades 5-12. Prerequisite knowledge expected includes the ability to use Microsoft Word and search the internet.
Participants will leave the program with three cybersecurity lesson plans designed for their curriculum. A $1,500 stipend and professional development documentation needed for Act 48 credit are benefits for completing the entire program. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided during the week-long summer camp, and free housing on-campus for the week of the summer camp will be provided for those unable to commute.
