Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS)
CyberPatriot Competition
sUAS technology, also known as Drone Technology, is a rapidly growing STEM area.  In addition to learning about the science of flight and flight safety regulations, cadets can apply for scholarships in order to pay for FAA Commercial Drone Pilot certification. Commercial drone pilots can earn money leveraging their certification in such areas as surveying, mapping, inspection work, or aerial cinematography.

Click here to visit the Drone Pilot Ground School scholarship website.
Quadcopter STEM Kit
Through a grant by the Civil Air Patrol, for Fall 2019 we have received a small quadcopter for use in our Science of Flight curriculum.  

StellarXplorers
StellarXplorers is a challenging space system design competition involving all aspects of system development and operation with a spacecraft and payload focus.

Teams are giving a scenario describing the system's mission and constraints, and they provide a solution to a typical space design problem, such as orbit determination, satellite component selection, and launch vehicle planning.

How Does it Work?
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StellarXplorers provides specific training in the use of system simulation software, Systems Tool Kit (STK), as well as an online textbook as a curriculum supplement and study resource for online Team Quizzes given during the competition.

Practice rounds begin in October with Qualification Rounds beginning in November that determine which teams advance to the semi-finals in February. The Top 10 teams from the Semi-Finals will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the National Finals in Houston, TX.

Benefits for Students

This is an exciting hands-on learning experience that develops commercially valuable skills and increases appreciation for the critical role of space in our daily lives. The competition attracts all types of students with diverse backgrounds who will establish their own experiential base off accomplishment, all while building teamwork and leadership skills.
CyberPatriot is the premiere national high school cyber defense competition and was created to inspire high school students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation's future.
This program encourages interest in cyber security and STEM by:
  • Addressing the steady decline in students with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training that adversely impacts U.S. economic competitiveness and national security
  • Presenting cyber security within a dynamic and interactive fast-moving competition that excites students while exposing them to real-world career opportunities
  • Introducing students to a career path they can follow through college by studying STEM disciplines, which will eventually lead to an exciting, in-demand career essential to national security
Students do not require any knowledge about computers. Students will learn everything they need to know from the CyberPatriot training materials and their coaches.
Program Highlights
  • Gaming skills are put to the test by presenting students with practical cyber security scenarios within a dynamic and interactive fast-moving competition
  • Students learn to protect their networks against malicious intrusions perpetrated by the "Red Team" made up of real-life cyber experts
  • Team members collaborate with one another, fostering the exchange of shared knowledge about network and data protection
  • FREE participation in the CyberPatriot Competition
About the Competition
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The National Youth Cyber Defense competition is a series of structured web-based tournament events in which teams of 2-5 students are scored on how well they identify and secure known vulnerabilities on a virtual network image.
  • CyberPatriot is aimed at ANY high school or middle school student
  • No prior knowledge of cyber security needed - experts from the industry will train you
  • Training materials are designed so any student can excel within the competition
  • Modest commitment of time to teach cyber security basics
  • CyberPatriot draws students to STEM by engaging them in an exciting, motivating, and educational competitition
  • The competition is not only fun and exciting; it also creates a career path for today's students, fostering continued education from high school through college and into the beginning of their careers