The Center for Cyber & Artificial Intelligence at Cal State San Bernardino successfully hosted its 10th annual youth cyber summer camp, “CyberGuardians: Navigating the AI-Enhanced Future,” from July 7-12. This immersive camp brought together 60 high school students from across the Inland Empire region, offering them a comprehensive introduction to the world of AI and cybersecurity.

The six-day, five-night camp, part of the GenCyber program, aimed to elevate cybersecurity awareness and skills among high school students. Sponsored by the GenCyber Grants Program of the National Security Agency and other federal partners, the camp featured a rich blend of hands-on activities and workshops. These sessions, led by CSUSB cyber students, covered crucial topics, such as cyber hygiene, safe internet practices, ethical hacking, and careers in cybersecurity, aligning with the NIST Cybersecurity Workforce Framework.

Throughout the week, 30 students engaged in a variety of interactive and educational activities at the GenCyber camp. Mornings began with assembly, followed by ice breaker and teambuilding exercises, setting a collaborative tone for the day. Each day was packed with cybersecurity and AI-focused classes and activities, with breaks for lunch and an evening assembly, concluding the day's activities by 4:30 p.m.

“My favorite part about the camp has been the activities,” said Mason Loya, high school student and summer camp participant. “They’ve been fun, intuitive and I’ve learned a lot thanks to them.”

Inland Empire high school students engaged with cyber security activities during the youth summer camp, hosted by CSUSB’s Center for Cyber & Artificial Intelligence.
Inland Empire high school students engaged with cyber security activities during the youth summer camp, hosted by CSUSB’s Center for Cyber & Artificial Intelligence.

The camp provided a holistic experience, with Cal-SOAP’s pre-college residential program at CSUSB offering lodging and evening activities. Campers participated in games, movie nights, campus tours, and team-building exercises, enhancing their social skills and camaraderie. In addition, the camp offered professional and career development sessions, helping students with university applications, financial aid, resume building, and enrollment in CSUSB’s dual enrollment course, IST 1110: Introduction to Information Technology.

Running in tandem with the GenCyber camp, CSUSB also hosted the new WITH Cyber Camp in collaboration with Fresno State University (FSU) and San Jose State University (SJSU). This initiative, part of the CSU Workforce Innovation Technology Hubs (WITH) project, expanded opportunities for an additional 30 campers at each participating university. The WITH Cyber Camp included unique activities, such as imaging Raspberry Pis for networking and pen-testing, digital forensics, drone hacking, escape rooms, and physical challenges like rock climbing and the high-altitude ropes course at CSUSB’s Leadership Challenge Center.

Inland Empire high school students from the GenCyber camp competed with the students from the WITH Cyber Camp in a friendly competition that showcased the new skills they’d acquired.
Inland Empire high school students from the GenCyber camp competed with the students from the WITH Cyber Camp in a friendly competition that showcased the new skills they’d acquired.

The concluding day, July 12, featured an engaging cybersecurity competition, where campers from GenCyber and WITH Cyber Camp showcased their newly acquired skills in a friendly contest, followed by a closing ceremony. The event underscored the importance of practical, hands-on experience in education, especially in a field as dynamic as cybersecurity.

“I came to the camp to learn about cyber security coding,” said participant Erik Lopez. “It was extremely fun. Coming to a camp like this, you really learn how to socialize with people, how to be a leader, as well as how to have teamwork. So, I learned a new language in code, but I also improved my communication skills.”

Both the GenCyber and WITH Cyber Camps exemplify CSUSB’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, providing invaluable career development and educational opportunities to high school students in the Inland Empire.

“I thought it was really cool to learn about AI,” said camper Asia Walker. “It might be something I see as a career.”

As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, programs like GenCyber and WITH Cyber Camp play a pivotal role in preparing young minds to navigate and secure the digital landscape of the future. CSUSB remains committed to fostering educational excellence and career readiness in cybersecurity, ensuring a safer, more secure world for all.