AFA Teacher of the Year Honoree Advances Alabama’s Cyber Education

As the Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) prepares to announce recipients of the 2026 AFA/Rolls-Royce National Teacher of the Year Award next month, the educational impact of Kala Grice-Dobbins, the second-place recipient of the 2025 AFA National Teacher of the Year Award, continues to grow.

The AFA/Rolls-Royce National Teacher of the Year program honors innovative K–12 educators who consistently go above and beyond to integrate STEM education—including aerospace, aviation, and cybersecurity—into their classrooms. These teachers create programs that make a lasting impact in their communities while serving as replicable models for educators across the country.

Grice-Dobbins, a National Board-Certified Teacher, leads the cybersecurity program at the Madison County Career Technical Center (MCCTC) in Huntsville, Alabama, where students graduate with nationally recognized certifications, industry experience, and pathways into one of America’s fastest-growing workforce sectors.

She also serves as an outstanding ambassador for cybersecurity education and AFA’s CyberPatriot program. Grice-Dobbins has become a mentor to educators throughout Alabama and across the nation, helping other teachers build successful cybersecurity programs of their own.

Grice-Dobbins developed MCCTC’s comprehensive, year-long cybersecurity curriculum from the ground up, using AFA’s CyberPatriot competition as one of its foundational learning platforms. Her curriculum combines networking, coding, digital literacy, cybersecurity fundamentals, and real-world applications to give students practical experience while preparing them for industry certifications and careers.

Her students’ accomplishments reflect the strength of the program. MCCTC’s CyberPatriot teams consistently advance to the National Semifinals, and several students have earned acceptance into Alabama’s highly competitive Magnet Cyber High School.

This year, MCCTC teams placed first and third in the Alabama Lieutenant Governor’s Cyber Cup Challenge, while Grice-Dobbins’ students comprised seven of the state’s top 10 teams.

Additionally, 81% of her students earned at least one industry certification during the school year, including one student who earned 10 certifications, among them the highly respected CompTIA Security+ credential.

With the help of Grice-Dobbins’ leadership, cybersecurity extends far beyond a traditional elective at MCCTC. Students spend half of each school day immersed in hands-on laboratories focused on networking, cyber defense, system administration, ethical hacking concepts, and real-world troubleshooting.

Over the past three years, approximately 60 students have progressed through the program. Many return for multiple years, developing advanced technical skills, mentoring younger classmates, and fostering a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and continuous learning.

In total, MCCTC students have earned 118 nationally recognized industry certifications, with additional certification testing continuing this summer. Earned credentials include:

• 11 CompTIA Security+
• 5 CompTIA Network+
• 1 CompTIA Linux+
• 1 Cisco Certified Network Associate
• 1 ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity
• 3 TestOut Ethical Hacking certifications
• Numerous additional certifications in networking, cybersecurity, and IT support

These are the same credentials sought by employers, including defense contractors, government agencies, and colleges. Many cyber professionals spend months or even years pursuing credentials such as these, but MCCTC students earn them while still in high school, balancing rigorous academic coursework, extracurricular activities, and life outside the classroom.

The success and skills the program delivers translate directly into career opportunities. Alumni have secured internships with Lockheed Martin, Leidos, Oasis Systems, PeopleTec, the FBI Cyber Division, and Amazon. Industry professionals routinely mentor students on capstone projects that connect classroom instruction with real-world applications.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in the cybersecurity class at MCCTC. It has given me hands-on experience and helped me pass difficult certifications like CompTIA Security+,” said Evan Clark, a rising third-year student at MCCTC and 2026–2027 SkillsUSA Alabama State Treasurer.

“The cybersecurity program at MCCTC has helped me set foot into the industry in the best ways possible. I’ve gained experience that helped me pass essential certifications such as CompTIA Security+ and Network+, while giving me opportunities to network with and learn from cybersecurity professionals,” said Jerrold Phipps, a recent MCCTC graduate who interned with Leidos and will attend college in the fall.

Grice-Dobbins’ AFA-recognized leadership, National Board Certification, and unwavering commitment to student success help position Alabama students at the forefront of one of the United States’ most critical workforce priorities.

Her program demonstrates the power of combining innovative instruction with AFA’s educational initiatives to prepare students for careers that strengthen America’s national security and technological leadership.

Stories such as this also demonstrate how the AFA/Rolls-Royce National Teacher of the Year program serves as a force multiplier—not only recognizing exceptional educators but also expanding the reach and visibility of AFA’s education mission worldwide.

From first-time learners to nationally certified young professionals in just three years, MCCTC and Grice-Dobbins are proving what is possible when talented educators and motivated students come together. It is this kind of innovation the AFA/Rolls-Royce National Teacher of the Year program was created to recognize—and one more example of how AFA is helping build the next generation of cyber defenders.