Cybersecurity Education, Research & Outreach Center

Gen-Cyber Camps

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Resources
• Events
• Grant Programs

GenCyber Introduction

The NSA and NSF funded GenCyber Camp provides cybersecurity engagement experiences for students and teachers at the K-12 level and has the following goals:

• • Increase cybersecurity awareness among high school students
  • Increase interest in cybersecurity among diverse body of students
  • Help all students understand correct and safe on-line behavior
  • Provide training for students with instructional activities based upon the GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts

More information about the GenCyber program can be found at https://gen-cyber.com. 

CEROC Pre-Camp Resources

Introduction to Linux - VIDEO LINK

Networking Essentials - VIDEO LINK

Wireshark and Other Tools - VIDEO LINK

CEROC GenCyber Events

2023 GenCyber Residential Combination Camp at Tennessee Tech

Many thanks to all of the Tennessee Tech faculty/staff members, daytime student counselors, nighttime student counselors, K12 consultants, student campers, and teacher program participants for another incredible summer camp.  This year's residential combination camp (conducted from June 25 to June 30) hosted 22 students and 10 teachers.  See the press release at https://sites.tntech.edu/ceroc/2023/06/30/2023-gencyber-residential-combination-camp-at-tennessee-tech/. 

GenCyber Day at WiCyS 2023

CEROC hosted GenCyber Day at the 2023 Women in Cybersecurity conference in Denver, CO at the Gaylord Rockies Resort for high school students in the Denver, CO area. In cooperation with our partners at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CEROC conduct the event featuring:

• Guest speakers from industry
• Introduction to the NIST NICE Navigator project
• Introduction to and opportunity to see the famous Enigma machine
• Participation in the soarCTF cyber exercise on the CEROC Cyber Range

Student and teacher participants received a special camp technology package for attending. 

GenCyber Day at NICE K12 

CEROC will host a GenCyber Day event at the NICE K12 Conference held on December 4-5, 2023 at the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak, Phoenix, AZ for high school students in the Phoenix area.  Details to follow.

Tennessee GenCyber on Wheels

Tennessee Tech's GenCyber is going on the road!  (Expected participants: 4000 over the next 16 months) There will be multiple field trips (three day trips) to a regional high school in Tennessee using the Millard Oakley STEM Center STEMmobile. During these trips, the STEMmobile will be transformed in the Tennessee GenCyber on Wheels mobile classroom.  Each trip will involve stationing the STEM Mobile to allow high school students to board the vehicle and discover cybersecurity-related, hands-on exercises using Raspberry PIs, laptops, and other technology.  Professional development sessions will be conducted for area teachers and school counselors discussing currently available cybersecurity resources from CEROC and other resource centers.  For more information, email cerocevents@tntech.edu. 

Elementary and Middle School Site Visits

Cyber Safety and Cyber Citizen Presentations (Expected participants: 1000): CEROC staff and student ambassadors will visit local elementary and middle schools for Cyber Conscious Citizen sessions about Online Safety.  These talks will focus on online safety at home, school, and work including popular gaming and social media platforms.

CEROC Grant Programs

Mini grant programs to promote cybersecurity interests in schools (Expected awards: 6) To continue the legacy of Tennessee Tech's GenCyber efforts and further participation in the 502Project community, maintain interest in cybersecurity as a hopeful outcome of the camp, and facilitate an outlet for students to continue with their new interest, CEROC will encourage and support students to start Cyber Patriot clubs at their schools via mini grants of $500 for schools starting a new team.  Additionally, CEROC also provide, via mini grant, an allocation of National Cyber League vouchers for students interested in cybersecurity competitions.  Both of these programs will be available for application late July 2023.  Details forthcoming.