AFA to Hold Over 260 CyberCamps Across the United

Arlington, Va., May 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Air Force Association (AFA) announced today that its CyberPatriot program will be hosting AFA CyberCamps at over 260 locations across the United States this year. This marks an increase of more than 60 percent from the 160 camp locations in the 2017 summer session.

“We are thrilled by the growth in our AFA CyberCamp program”, said Rachel Zimmerman, CyberPatriot’s Director of Business Operations. “We hope that AFA CyberCamps will introduce students to all of the facets of the CyberPatriot program and inspire them to participate in our National Youth Cyber Defense Competition this fall.”

AFA CyberCamps began in 2015 as a way to give students the opportunity to learn about cybersecurity during the summer months, regardless of their previous knowledge or education in cybersecurity. They are also designed to stimulate year-round interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

75 of the 260 CyberCamps this year will be Advanced Camps, a new camp program designed for returning students who crave a more challenging curriculum and who may have previously participated in an AFA CyberCamp or in the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.

“AFA CyberCamps are growing by leaps and bounds every year! This upcoming summer we are proud to provide a fresh curriculum showcasing a new operating system for the Standard CyberCamps,” said Emily Rauer, CyberPatriot Cyber Education Manager. “We are also thrilled to debut our newest camp program, Advanced CyberCamps, which were piloted last summer. Ultimately, we look forward to seeing motivated camp participants create their own teams for the CP-XI season at the beginning of the school year.”

CyberPatriot, the nation's largest and fastest growing youth cyber education program, is AFA's flagship STEM program dedicated to strengthening cyber skills among students. The program features the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition for high school and middle school students, AFA CyberCamps, an Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative, the Cyber Education Literature Series, and CyberGenerations, a program promoting senior citizen cyber awareness.

Supporters of CyberPatriot include the Northrop Grumman Foundation, CyberPatriot's presenting sponsor, as well as Cyber Diamond sponsors AT&T, Boeing, Cisco, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Microsoft; Cyber Gold sponsors Facebook, Riverside Research, Splunk, and Symantec; and Cyber Silver sponsors Air Force STEM, Air Force Reserve, American Military University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Leidos, Mastercard, and University of Maryland University College.

To learn more about AFA’s CyberPatriot programs and initiatives, see AFA CyberCamps in your area, or to register for CyberPatriot XI, please visit www.uscyberpatriot.org .

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.

McKinnon Pearse Air Force Association 7032475847 mpearse@afa.org