JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- A team of six cadets from the Civil Air Patrol’s McGuire Composite Squadron recently won New Jersey’s First Place Award in the 9th annual CyberPatriot Competition by crushing 17 other teams in the state with their cybersecurity skills.
The CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Education Program was created by the Air Force Association <http://www.afa.org/> to excite, educate, and motivate students toward careers in cyber security and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future.
Led by 2nd Lt. Peter Toth, the McGuire Composite Squadron cadets earned the award by demonstrating superior teamwork, critical thinking skills and the technical knowledge required for a successful career in cybersecurity.
“Our cadets are serious about preparing for their futures,” said Maj. AlyciaRae Weaver, McGuire Composite Squadron commander. “I’m very proud of our team as they accepted the challenges of this national competition and spent countless hours learning about network security.”
The squadron’s CyberPatriot team members are C/TSgt Peter John Toth Jr., Barnegat; C/2nd Lt Joseph Quigley, Browns Mills; C/SSgt Thomas Laskiewicz, Jackson; C/Amn Joshua Thomas, Hanover; C/Amn Alaina Palmer and C/Amn David Griffith, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
“These cadets worked very hard and it was great to see them compete on such a high level,” said 2nd Lt Toth, McGuire Composite Squadron’s team coach and mentor for CyberPatriot. “This competition was a great experience for the cadets and the technical skills they learned will take them very far in life no matter what career path they chose.”
Assisting Lt Toth were Capt. Jimmy Griffith, USAF, and 2nd Lt Doreen Laskiewicz, McGuire Composite Squadron.
CyberPatriot’s core program – the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition – challenges teams of two to six students across the United States, Canada, and from Department of Defense Dependents Schools abroad, to find and resolve cybersecurity vulnerabilities in simulated environments. Top teams from the preliminary online rounds win an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC for the live National Finals Competition, where students compete for national recognition and scholarships.
The CyberPatriot field is divided into three divisions – the Open Division for public, private, and home school teams, the All Service Division for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, Civil Air Patrol, and Naval Sea Cadet Corps teams, and the Middle School Division. Based on the results of the preliminary round, CyberPatriot IX high school teams were categorized within their divisions as Platinum, Gold, or Silver Tier teams, with Platinum Tier teams representing the highest scoring teams.