Tech Center students place in top five at cybersecurity challenge
DETROIT: Three cyber warriors from the Muskegon Area Career Tech Center (MACTC) traveled to Cobo Center in Detroit on October 30, 2017, for the final round of the Governor’s High School Cyber Challenge. There they competed against ten other teams as part of the North American International Cyber Summit (NAICS). Mason Grunow (Fruitport), Trevor Hackney (Whitehall), and Antonio Polidori (Whitehall), all Internet, Network & Security Technologies students at the MACTC, qualified by placing in the top ten out of 182 teams from across the state. They earned fifth place in the final round.
“The kids did a great job and represented the MACTC very well!” shared Internet, Network and Security Technologies Instructor Susan Rhem-Westhoff. “It was fun for them to meet Governor Snyder, and I think he was impressed with their security moxie.”
Teams from Cadillac, Airport, Clinton, Okemos, Kalamazoo, and Gull Lake high schools qualified for the event. Competition included a virtual Capture the Flag exercise intended to test their abilities using an intensive timed series of cybersecurity-based challenges. Teams focused on hacking into the virtual city of Alphaville. While doing so, they were able to interact with each other and compare their progress on a public scoreboard.
“It was exciting to head to Detroit and experience an international event for the first time,” shared Mason.
For details about the Governor’s High School Cyber Challenge you may visit merit.edu/cyber-challenge.
Contacts: Susan Rhem-Westhoff, MACTC Internet, Network & Security Technologies Instructor, 231-767-3676, swesthof@muskegonisd.org
Stephanie Hoekenga, MACTC Outreach Specialist, 231-767-3613, shoekeng@muskegonisd.org