Thanks to the support of UTEP's Computer Science Department, middle and high school students from across the region gained hands-on experience in real-world cybersecurity through the CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.

CyberPatriot, the world's largest youth cybersecurity competition, is the Air Force Association's National Youth Cyber Education Program, created to inspire K-12 students to pursue careers in cybersecurity or other STEM disciplines. It challenges student teams to identify and fix cybersecurity vulnerabilities in virtual operating systems while maintaining critical services. Students compete for national recognition and scholarship opportunities.

This year, the UTEP CS Department collaborated with local schools to raise awareness of the program, assist with registration, and provide training and mentorship throughout the competition season. Weekly in-person training sessions ran from October to May (2024-2025), with competition rounds held in November, December, and January.

Key Highlights:

• 4,839 teams registered nationally
• 75 students from our region participated
• 14 teams from 7 unique schools took part
• 11 UTEP CS students served as dedicated mentors
• 3 regional teams advanced to the semifinals

Regional Participation

CyberPatriot teams across our region

By fostering early interest in cybersecurity careers, UTEP continues its mission to empower the next generation of STEM leaders. We look forward to supporting even more bright minds in the upcoming 2025-2026 CyberPatriot season!

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