The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) competed in the second round of Cyber Patriot, the national cyber security game. Cadets act as security managers of an organizations’ information system, defending against a cyber attack and then counterattacking to keep the system secure. Cadets from all four service JROTCs participate in the competition. Finalist earn an all-expenses paid trip to Baltimore, Maryland, to compete in the national finals. This activity, like all MCJROTC activities, is done at no cost to the cadets or MCHS. They are funded by the Marine Corps, with augmentation from fundraising through the MCJROTC Booster Club.
“With the increased emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in our public schools, our cadets are involved with activities that could start the foundation for a very rewarding and lucrative career in cyber security,” said Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath.
Master Sergeant Jeff Benak noted the flexibility of the cadets to multi-task. “All of the cadets on our Cyber Patriot team are on our drill team, and some are also on our rifle team. These cadets really know how to do a balancing act.”
The faculty advisor for the team is Engineering and Technology Instructor Ralph Gee. “I think that this a tremendous opportunity for students to participate in real-world problems facing all aspects of technology, which in turn affects all aspects of today’s world. And to do this with no cost to the student is something rare these days in education.”
The cadets next Cyber Patriot competition round will be in January. They will then see if they qualify to proceed on to the next elimination round in February. The Final Round is in March.