Troy Cyber Defense Academic Program

Troy is proud to host the FIRST high school 4-year cyber defense program in the USA. We also have the largest cyber competition program in the USA. We had 300 Troy HS students in 49 CyberPatriot teams, 190 middle school students on 32 teams and forty 4th & 5th graders learning Windows 10 Security.

Cyber Defense touches each of our lives in so many ways. Part of Troy Tech, our Cyber Defense academic program will teach students the fundamentals of:

1. Personal cyber ethics.

2. Keeping your personal information private.

3. Operating System Security and keeping the hackers away.

4. Network Security and being secure in the Internet of things.

Students will be able to perform hands-on defense techniques using virtual images. Being a member of a cyber defense competition team, while not required, is also encouraged to further increase student knowledge and understanding of the material. This program will evolve as threats evolve and the tactics and techniques adapt to both new and old cyber threats.

Troy's four year plan for students following the Cyber Defense pathway:

• 9th grade: AP Computer Science Principles

• 10th grade: Digital Technology Fundamentals (Honors)

• 11th grade: Network Security Essentials (Honors)

• 12th grade: Cybersecurity 101 (Honors)

AP Computer Science Principles Course Description: AP Computer Science Principles is an introductory college-level computing course that introduces students to the breadth of the field of computer science. Students learn to design and evaluate solutions and to apply computer science to solve problems through the development of algorithms and programs. They incorporate abstraction into programs and use data to discover new knowledge. Students also explain how computing innovations and computing systems—including the internet—work, explore their potential impacts, and contribute to a computing culture that is collaborative and ethical.

Digital Technology Fundamentals (Honors): 2nd course in Cyber Defense Troy Tech pathway, following 9th grade AP Computer Science Principles. Students build a foundational knowledge on computer related hardware and software. Students are able to build and fix PCs and Chromebooks, understand the basics of wired and wireless networking and how to install, repair and restore operating systems. This course prepares students for a CompTIA A+ certification.

Network Security Essentials (Honors): 3rd course in Troy Tech Cyber Defense pathway. Technology today is connected via a variety of networks. This course will help students build a foundation of practical and theoretical networking knowledge that is needed for those pursuing employment in the cybersecurity industry. This course will prepare students for either a CompTIA Networking+ certification or a Cisco Certified Networking Associate certification.

Cybersecurity 101 (Honors): 4th course in Troy Tech Cyber Defense pathway, serving as a capstone of the CTE. Students build upon knowledge with a focus on cybersecurity issues. Our students have demonstrated that they can be hired based on their high school knowledge. This course will further improve their career preparation and prepares students for a CompTIA Security+ certification.