THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN CYBERSTART AMERICA IN VIRGINIA
Unfortnately, CSA will no longer be available in the U.S. We hope to bring it back in the future.
Please visit cyberstartamerica.org for more information going forward.
CyberStart America in Virginia
A statewide initiative to enable all high school students in the commonwealth to discover their talent in cybersecurity
Supported by the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation and the SANS Institute, CyberStart America helps identify high school students with the potential to help meet our nation’s critical need for cybersecurity professionals.
State leaders in cyber education, including the Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Tech’s Cyber Range, the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative and CodeVA, guide the CyberStartAmerica Virginia Task Force with the aim of helping students learn about cybersecurity using an easy-to-follow game-based online platform.
See CyberStart in action with a tour from cybersecurity expert James Lyne
CyberStart was founded by James Lyne, a world leader in cybersecurity education. Built by an expert team of cybersecurity professionals, CyberStart gives students hands-on experience of real-world cybersecurity tasks and simulations that help them learn the skills they need to succeed.
Take a minute to visit the CyberStart America website
to learn about the CyberStart community and the great things going on!
How Does It Work?
CyberStart America is a free, learn-as-you-go, online program designed to help students in Grades 9-12 learn about cyber as they complete fun puzzles and challenges. The program helps students explore their abilities, build their skills and compete for scholarships in cybersecurity along with cash prizes available exclusively in Virginia.
If you know students who are:
eager to learn new things
excel at problem-solving
are naturally curious and tenacious
are self-motivated
They have the traits that could lead them to a successful career as a cyber professional.
No prior experience in computer science is required by students or teachers to get started!
Dates
The 2023 CyberStart America game cycle has ended! Please visit the Leaderboard to see how Virginia placed!
Students can explore more than 200 unique cybersecurity challenges, which they will solve as a cybersecurity agent investigating criminal gangs. They earn points for every challenge solved and earn digital achievement badges at various point levels. Top-scoring eligible players will be invited to apply for cyber training scholarships worth $3,000 from the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation.
Cyber Education is a National Priority
Imagine the outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic with a shortage of 700,000 doctors in the U.S.
How would California fare with a shortage of 700,000 fire fighters?
Although the United States has not faced these hypothetical crises, cyber crimes are a growing threat to our national welfare, in part, because of the critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals.
With nearly 700,000 cybersecurity jobs currently unfilled in the U.S., over 61,000 of them in Virginia alone, shortage of cybersecurity professions affects everyone, with more frequent and damaging cyber attacks on food and fuel supplies, water and utilities, government agencies and corporations in nearly every business sector.
Virginia’s high schools play an essential role in helping students explore their potential in this crucial career field. CyberStart Virginia helps high schools meet the challenge of preparing the next generation of cyber professionals.
