CARSONCITY, Nev. – 10 ofNevada’s most promising high school students have earned the coveted title of“National Cyber Scholar,” according to the NationalCyber Scholarship Foundation.

To earnthis recognition, students won a rigorous 48-hour competition designed toevaluate aptitude in combating cyber threats and showcasing the best of whatNevada’s schools have to offer. The 10 Nevada National Cyber Scholarsare:

• Jann Arellano, Academy of Arts, Careers andTechnology, Reno
• Tyler Du, Academy of Arts, Careers andTechnology, Reno
• Austin Finch, Academy of Arts, Careers andTechnology, Reno
• Lloyd Gonzales, Academy of Arts, Careers andTechnology, Reno
• Cade Romero, Advanced Technologies Academy, LasVegas
• VictorGumenyuk, Cimarron-Memorial High School, Las Vegas
• AustinParkerson, Shadow Ridge High School, Las Vegas
• ClaireBurkhardt, Davidson Academy of Nevada, Reno
• Roland List,West Career & Technical Academy, Las Vegas
• Sage Ullman,West Career & Technical Academy, Las Vegas  

Over 30,000 high school students across the country sought to qualifyfor this year’s competition, and only 5,000advanced to the first round. Of those students, only 600 nationwide performedwell enough to earn the title “National Cyber Scholars.” Each National CyberScholar won a $2,500 scholarship and an invitation to participate in the CyberFoundations Academy, a multi-week training and certification course.

“I am overjoyed to celebrate our students who have earned the title ofNational Cyber Scholar,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of PublicInstruction. “These students have displayed talent and potential for a high-demandindustry, and I am confident they will make a meaningful impact on the futureof our State.” 

Nevada is one of only four states in the nation with more than 75% ofpublic schools teaching computer science, according to the 2020 State ofComputer Science Education: Illuminating Disparities report. The State’s commitmentto the integration of technology in education helps to support students incritical skill development.

“Nevada’s educational leaders are committed to STEM education, workforcedevelopment programs and innovation,” said Brian Mitchell, Director of theGovernor’s Office of Science, Innovation & Technology. “I am extremelyproud of the students who have received this title, as they are demonstratingthese values in action.”

TheNational Cyber Scholarship Foundation established the competition to identifyrising stars in the cybersecurity industry, and to close the criticalcybersecurity skills gap by developing the next generation of cyberprofessionals. Cybersecurity is a critical issue facing this country withthe potential to impact our nation’s government, defense, communications, andfinancial systems.

There are several qualification pathways for the National CyberScholarship Competition (NCSC) including CyberStart America, a freeonline program that helps students discover their interest in cybersecurity anddevelop their talent and skills. The NCSC offers 600 college scholarships totop-ranking competitors. Additionally, National Cyber Scholars, along with thecompetition’s 1,000 finalists, are invited to participate in the CyberFoundations Academy.  

To learn more visit: National CyberScholarship Foundation.

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About TheNational Cyber Scholarship Foundation (NCSF)

The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation (NCSF) is a national nonprofitwhose mission is to identify, nurture and empower the next generation ofcybersecurity experts; and eliminate the cybersecurity skills gap in the UnitedStates. NCSF aims to support the entry of thousands of talented students to thecybersecurity industry by providing enrichment opportunities, world-classtraining and scholarships to fund degree-level study.

AboutCyberStart America

CyberStart America is a free national program for high school students,aiming to uncover hidden cyber talents, and to identify and develop the nextgeneration of cyber superstars. CyberStart’s immersive gamified learningplatform can take students from zero cybersecurity knowledge to possessing theskills necessary to compete in a national-level Capture the Flag challenge in amatter of weeks. Students new to the field with a strong aptitude, as well asstudents with existing interest in the field, can use the platform to train andqualify for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, allowing them tocompete for life-changing college scholarship opportunities.