Louisville High School STEM program hosted a one-week, all female, GenCyber Cyber Security camp for 3rd – 5th graders instructed by Kristi Jernigan, STEM instructor. The camp funded through the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation was directed by Ken Ethridge, East Central Community College Computer Science instructor, and is focused on reaching students early in hopes of increasing female participation in the computer science world. The camp taught 20 participants ethical and safe online behavior, computer programming, and cyber security principles through hands-on activities. Activities included password cracking, detecting fake photos with digital image forensics, learning basics of cyber security, identifying types of storage media, being a good digital citizen, learning about cyber security career opportunities, and using encryption to encode and decode messages. Camp participants were introduced to basics of drag and drop computer programming using various robotic platforms, such as, modular Cubelets, the Finch robot that acts through movement, light, and sound. Other platforms included Lego Mindstorms EV3 and Sphero SPRK+, a programmable robotic ball. The girls conducted group projects to include poster presentations on cyber bullying, cell phone safety, and being safe online. The students presented their posters and rehearsed skits about cyber security. The students culminated their learning experiences and presented their knowledge in front of their parents/friends at the closing ceremony for camp.
The GenCyber camp instructor and staff would like to thank special guest speakers and presenters: Dr. Melissa Davis, Asst Principal of Leake County Elementary School and Director of Black Girls Read Mississippi,
Sandra Jackson, Winston County 4-H Extension Agent,
Dr. Sarah Lee, Mississippi State University, Asst Dept. Head of Computer Science and Engineering,
Chasta Rauccio, VP Human Resources, Chuck Woodring with IT Department, and Miranda Williams, IT Intern of Winston Plywood & Veneer
