Cal Poly’s California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI) will host 50 students from Sunnyside and Hoover high schools of Fresno, California, on July 15 for a cybersecurity training day through the UC Merced Center for Education Partnerships (CEP) Upwards Bound Program.

During the cyber day, the students will gain exposure to team-building games, coding and computer science, and learn about the impact of cybersecurity on their futures. The day will conclude with an immersive, cyber medical challenge in the CCI’s digital range.

The CEP Upward Bound Program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. The program serves high school students from low-income families and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree.

“Our students are looking forward to spending time at the CCI and its immersive training environment,” said Janet Hnidey, program director for the UC Merced CEP Upward Bound Program. “The CCI team does a great a job of showing students how cyber impacts all aspects of our society — down to the mobile phones in their pockets.”

Cal Poly’s CCI is a robust, multiagency effort to teach Californians to protect California from inevitable cyber attacks through hands-on, immersive training and immediate Learn by Doing opportunities for local cyber defenders, including law enforcement, first responders, military, academia and the private sector.

“Cybersecurity provides a bridge for all students to pursue the ‘California Dream,’” CCI Technology Coordinator Henry Danielson said. The CCI’s goal with programs like the Upwards Bound is to show students how they can build a future in cybersecurity.”

The event takes place Monday July 15, 2019 on Cal Poly’s Campus as well as at the California Cybersecurity Institute located on Camp San Luis Obispo. Media is welcome to attend; please contact Jimmy Baker for event agenda and more information.