Building Cyber Confidence: UMGC and Educators Unite to Bring Cybersecurity to Classrooms

"The world is evolving at an exponential rate, and education must remain adaptable in order to stay relevant," said Atticus Bedingfield, a social studies teacher at Lindale Middle School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and a recent graduate of both the GenCyber and CyberTEACH programs. "If we want our students to graduate confident in their use of modern technology and cybersecurity concepts, they must be consistently exposed to them throughout their education."

Building a Collaborative Network for Lasting Impact

Both programs foster a strong sense of community among educators. Participants collaborate, share lesson plans, and exchange ideas, returning to their schools energized and ready to inspire colleagues and students alike. This ripple effect is already visible, with past participants encouraging others to join and expand the reach of cybersecurity education.

For GenCyber graduate David Duba, a Social Studies and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher at Bowie High School, the positive effects of the camp have been wide-reaching.