Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1487796
(Students can choose their practice day, though one day is exclusively for elementary and middle schoolers.) Practices now host almost 300 high schoolers and 200 middle schoolers from schools as far away as Irvine in south Orange County and parts of Los Angeles, Ontario and San Bernardino counties. "Troy has nine computer labs, and we use eight of them" for the practices, Stubblefield says. "We saw this as a way for some kids to find their thing in life. Of the students I have right now at Troy, they're all going to be aware of cyber- security - protecting data will always be important. And 20 percent will be working in the cyber field." Stubblefield is gratified by the program's growth. But this is his final year at Troy, as he seeks to expand his reach to encourage more young people to try cybersecurity. As he explains, "We need everyone who is interested to learn about cybersecurity." " Many days I was a day ahead of the kids. I have degrees in computer science, but they predate Windows. I learned cyber along with my students." teaching computer science, his college major, in 2016. at year, after seeing increasing numbers of students coming to after-school cybersecurity practices and competitions, he helped Troy launch a four-year cyber- security academic pathway, along with summer camps for middle schoolers. "Many days I was a day ahead of the kids," he laughs. "I have degrees in computer science, but they predate Windows. I learned cyber along with my students." Stubblefield works with two other educators in the pathway program, one of whom also teaches art. "Any teacher with an interest in tech can learn how to do this," Stubblefield says. He and his colleagues serve as coaches and oversee in-person and virtual after-school practices three days a week, where more advanced students teach kids "the finer points of Windows and Linux security." Troy High's summer camps offer discounted fees to girls — a way to increase the number of females who study and work in cybersecurity and STEM fields. "Middle school girls are willing to try and do anything because no one has told them yet that they can't or they shouldn't," says Stubblefield. Troy High's team "Runtime Terror" looks optimistic after completing competition at the 2022 CyberPatriot nationals. 33 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 2 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 3 Allen Stubblefield