Columbia County schools introduce cyber-security curriculum

EVANS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Columbia County School District is branching out and introducing a new curriculum to help students understand cyber fundamentals from the beginning to the end of their schooling.

This isn’t something just for high school students. Kids can start learning cyber skills as early as kindergarten.

Leland Green is a junior at Greenbrier High School. He is participating in the cyber pathways.

Leland says the curriculum has him thinking about a career in the cyber field after high school.

“All the different applications and opportunities through Capture the Flag competition, Cyber Start America, and Cyber Patriot give me a lot of experience that I can go and apply when I graduate high school,” he said.

The school district’s new curriculum, Nextgen Cyber, builds upon the programs already in place that focus on cyber security, instead, helping students understand their space on the internet as they grow up in the age of social media and cyber platforms.

Associate Superintendent Michelle Sherman said: “Logical thinking on looking at etiquette, online etiquette, how we can prepare our students to work and explore in a variety of fields, not just limited to cyber security.”

The school district has partnered with multiple organizations to help build this program, and while it’s still in the stages of being put together, they hope to roll it out to students next year.

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