CyberPatriot team members will learn basic concepts and practices of cybersecurity and their application as used to secure computer systems. The Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot competition provides a means of reinforcing and demonstrating this knowledge through a friendly team-based competition.

Each week through the competition time in March, the HSU CyberPatriot Club South will meet on Wednesday from 3:00pm-5:00pm at the HSU Innovation Institute in Fort Walton Beach (CyberPatriot Club will not meet on school holidays). Teams are made up of 6-8 high school and/or middle school students interested in working toward careers in cybersecurity and other STEM disciplines critical to our nation’s future.

Competition dates are held on Fridays and participants will need to be available for the Friday out of the following dates:

November 13 – 16, 2025

December 11 – 14, 2025 (State Round)

January 22 – 24, 2026 (Semi Finals)

March 20 – 24, 2026 (National Finals)

Do you want to learn about cybersecurity? Are you ready to learn more about how the computer you use day to day works and how to protect it? Are you bored with your current operating system and want to learn a new one? You will discover and use various versions of Linux, a different type of operating system than Microsoft Windows or Apple Mac OS. You will learn how to secure Microsoft Windows operating systems, desktop and server versions, as well as Linux. While exploring all of these new options, you will be preparing for a national youth cyber-defense competition with your team. How far will you help take your team?

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Classes are held on Mondays from 3pm-5pm. Participants will begin earning a Python Certification. These certifcations can be used on your students college resume.

Participants must be 11 years of age and up.

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