More than 130 students from the Augusta-area and the Augusta Boys and Girls Club participated in the Alliance for Fort Gordon Summer CyberPatriot Camps, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation. 

Two separate week-long CyberPatriot Camps were held. One camp was held at the Georgia Cyber Center and a second camp was held at Aiken Technical College. CyberPatriot is a program that gives Augusta-area students an opportunity to discover new digital literacy skills, cybersecurity basics and expose them to career opportunities within the cybersecurity field. 

The camps in Georgia and South Carolina were the largest CyberPatriot Camps ever held in their respected states. It was also the first time the Alliance for Fort Gordon hosted camps on both sides of the river. These camps also celebrated the return to in-person training after two years of camps held either virtually or via hybrid participation due to COVID 19 restrictions. “These CyberPatriot Camps were a unique opportunity for local students to gain hands-on experience in the cybersecurity field and learn new skills that will prepare them for the future and everyday life,” said Dr. Tom Clark, executive director, the Alliance for Fort Gordon. “We are grateful for the AT&T Foundation’s support of the CyberPatriot Camp. Their support has been instrumental in the success of the program and in creating a pipeline of technology talent in the Augusta region.”   

The Alliance for Cyber Education program was created in 2016 through the Alliance for Fort Gordon whose mission is to promote, coordinate and advocate for the Fort Gordon Cyber District to stimulate investment in cyber growth and capitalize on opportunities for the benefit of all.

The Alliance welcomed The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Augusta as a partner for the 2022 camps.  This relationship provided 70 Boys and Girls Club students from across the area the opportunity to participate in the camps. The generous financial support from The Alliance’s industry and community partners provided the computer resources required for the camps as well as making the camps free to all participants.  

Instructors from NSA Georgia and units across Fort Gordon provided training throughout the camp to locally grow cyber talent and help fill the future needs of the cyber workers in the region. The camps concluded with a student cyber competition and a ceremony recognizing the students’ participation and achievements. CyberPatriot campers at the Georgia Cyber Center location were presented their completion certificates and awards by the commanding general of Army Cyber Command, LTG Maria Barrett and the CyberPatriot campers at the Aiken Technical College location were presented their completion certificates by the commanding general of Fort Gordon and the Cyber Center of Excellence, BG (P) Paul Stanton and the president of Aiken Technical College, Dr. Forest Mahan 

“AT&T is committed to supporting communities across Georgia, especially through organizations that are building better futures for our youth,” said Stan Shepherd, regional director, AT&T Georgia. “We are proud to support the Alliance for Fort Gordon and the CyberPatriot Camp as it provides pathways of success for students in the technology field.”