From staff reports
Beaufort County School District (BCSD) has been awarded a $150,000 GenCyber grant, funded by National Security Agency (NSA) and National Science Foundation (NSF).
GenCyber, a program created to inspire the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, funds in-depth training and experiences for school systems around the country. For more than eight years, this program has provided opportunities for students and teachers to explore cybersecurity fundamentals, technology, and career pathways.
As a result of this grant, BCSD will offer an intensive 10-day training session, July 24 to Aug. 4, for 30 middle and high school educators. By the end of the two weeks, the teachers will have lesson plans, resources, and tools that can be implemented in their classrooms and shared with students.
“Forwarding thinking grants such as this serve to prepare our students for future careers that may not even exist yet,” Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said in a news release. “This GenCyber grant is a win-win, equipping our educators to address high-level future trends and workforce needs while also ensuring our students’ long-term success.”
This professional development programming will be offered in collaboration with the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) and Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL).
Additional follow-up opportunities will be provided in the form of coaching/ mentoring for cyber defense competitions and ongoing support from the Beaufort Digital Corridor (BDC), a community-sourced initiative that fosters educational, commercial, and social environments conducive to nurturing flourishing technology entrepreneurs.
In line with the South Carolina Computer Science Education Initiative Act, the GenCyber grant enables BCSD to expand its offering of high-quality computer science and cybersecurity educational experiences to students.
“Through our Career and Technical Education (CTE) and MedTech7 programs, a number of our schools already have a strong focus and foundation in computer science and cybersecurity,” Chief Instructional Services Officer Mary Stratos said. “We are looking forward to seeing the innovative ways our newly minted GenCyber educators will incorporate what they learn into the classroom experience.”
BCSD secondary level educators interested in participating in this professional development opportunity can apply online, starting this January.
