For Immediate Release
January 26, 2010

Championship of CyberPatriot II Set for Feb. 19 in Orlando

Finals of National High School Cyber Defense Competition at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium

Arlington, VA Eight high school teams are making final preparations for the CyberPatriot II Championships in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 19, in conjunction with the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium.

CyberPatriot II, likely the largest simultaneous high school cyber defense competition ever staged, began with a one-of-a-kind simultaneous opening round Nov. 7. Nearly 200 high schools from 41 states and Japan competed over the Internet using specialized software. Over two competitive weekends, that group was narrowed to 36 teams for the Medalist Flight competition on Nov. 21, out of which emerged these final eight teams:

• CAP Willie Comp Sq 304 (SWR-AZ-036), Mesa, AZ
• CAP Beach Cities Cadet Sq 107 (PCR-CA-285), Torrance, CA
• FL-952 F.W. Springstead HS, Spring Hill, FL
• CAP Burlington Comp Sq (MER-NC-022), Burlington, NC
• CAP Seacoast Comp Sq (NER-NH-010), Portsmouth, NH
• NY-095 Newburgh Free Academy, Newburgh, NY
• NY-20031 Rome Free Academy, Rome, NY
• UT-081 Clearfield HS, Clearfield, UT

They will enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to Orlando for the competition at the Rosen Shingle Creek Convention Center, just down the hall from AFA’s Air Warfare Technology Exposition, showcasing the latest in aerospace initiatives.

The eight teams will compete in a complicated series of live challenges against a “Red Team” opponent that will actively counter their defense strategies, at the same time indirectly competing against each other. In a race against the clock, they will have no more than six hours to find and correct vulnerabilities in a complex, three-operating-system virtual network made possible by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

“CyberPatriot II has been a tremendous success and an excellent learning opportunity. We appreciate the enthusiastic participation from across the nation, and look forward to expanding CyberPatriot III next year,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, AFA’s Vice-Chairman of the Board for Aerospace Education. “As a career field, cyber defense is essential to our nation’s prosperity and national security. One of our primary missions at AFA is promoting education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and we’re so proud to spearhead this exciting educational program.”