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What is PowerUp: Cyber Games?

CyberUp’s PowerUp: Cyber Games is geared to inspire middle school and high school students toward this lucrative and in-demand career field. PowerUp: Cyber Games is a unique cybersecurity competition designed to teach its participants to solve computer security problems, and capture and/or defend computer systems.

Students will compete monthly utilizing an online platform from the convenience of their school, home, or library computers. Students will also have access to online curriculum to help them prepare for the competition. Students will compete on a Thursday, Friday, OR Saturday for a 3-hr. consecutive block. Students will earn points during each month’s competition. The team or person with the most points in their division by April 2021 will be the winner.

During the May Award Banquet, we will recognize the first, second, and third place teams in each division. CyberUp will also celebrate the students’, teachers’, and volunteers’ accomplishments during the season.

Competition Topics

Each game will contain a set of scenarios that require the students to perform technical tasks and are designed to have students complete the same day-to-day tasks of professionals in the cybersecurity field, but simplified to an age-appropriate difficulty. These scenarios focused on Cryptography, Open Source Intelligence, Log Analysis, Network Traffic Analysis, Linux, and Software Security are designed to help students build interest in cybersecurity, develop new skills, and understand their strengths and weaknesses in this subject.

Timeline

August 1 – Oct 8, 2020 – Open Registration ($1,000 per team of up to 4 students on a team for the season)
Sept 22, 2020 – Teacher Workshop (5pm – 7pm)
Sept 23, 2020 – Teacher Workshop (5pm – 7pm)
Sept 24, 2020 – Teacher Workshop (5pm – 7pm)
Oct 9, 2020 – Student registration cutoff date
October 12 – Nov 11, 2020 – Prepare for competition
Nov 12 – 14, 2020 – Competition
Dec 10 – 12, 2020 – Competition
Jan 14 – 16, 2021 – Competition
Feb 11 – 13, 2021 – Competition
March 11 – 13, 2021 – Competition
April 15 – 17, 2021– Competition Finals
May 2021 – Award Ceremony TBD (1^st week in May)

Technical Software Requirements

The exercise will be delivered through a cloud-based solution. Students will need to access the exercise environment through a modern web browser. The minimum and recommended requirements for the student’s device are listed below:

Minimum:

- Resolution: 1366 x 768
- Modern web browser (Microsoft Edge, Chrome 54+, Firefox 40+, Safari 9+)
- Internet Explorer is NOT supported
- Chromebooks will work great for the competition

Recommended:

- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Latest version of a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox)

Benefits to students

Students get exposure to real world, hands-on knowledge of cybersecurity through a unique gamification method for learning. Students develop a marketable skillset that will help them acquire knowledge, experience, and retain information and commit it to long-term memory for future use. Learning via gamification methods gives students ownership of their learning, freedom to fail and try again without negative repercussions, opportunities for differentiated instruction, instant feedback allowing students to continuously strive to improve, and positively impacts students cognitive, social, and emotional development.

For Students

- Learn real world cybersecurity skills through fun hands-on challenges.
- Help students master cybersecurity skills through understanding their strengths and weakness, with monthly reports so you know how to help the student improve.
- Build confidence by getting the experience of applying cybersecurity knowledge.

For Schools

- Supplement your in-class learning through applied technical assessments.
- Ability to map competition and learning materials for in-class CTE credits.
- Help meet CAE requirements for student participation in cyber competitions.
- Encourage and foster student collaboration and team building.

How do schools participate?

We have made it easy for a school to participate requiring only a faculty teacher, eager student players, standard computers for players, and an Internet connection. This competition is designed to help facilitate school participation providing resources and tools such as coaching guides, bulk registration orders, and the ability to assign coach/player relationships within the online platform.

Get started

Step 1

Teacher creates an account.

Step 2

Print and pass out Parent Consent forms for students to take home.

Step 3

Scan and return signed Parent Consent forms to CyberUp.

Step 4

Submit $1,000 per team payment (up to 4 students on a team) for the October 2020 – May 2021 season.

Step 5

Help students register.

Fastest-growing career field

Cybersecurity may be the fastest-growing career field today. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the field will grow by 28 percent between 2016 and 2026 (average growth for all jobs is about 7 percent). By 2022, the global cybersecurity workforce shortage has been projected to reach upwards of 1.8 million unfilled positions.

Learn more about how your stuends can get started in this in-demand career field by exploring Cybersecurity pathways.

Click here to view cybersecurity certifications & careers

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