ASMS Students Win 1st Place at Argonne Cyber Guardians Competition in Orlando

Our ASMS students placed 1st at the Argonne Cyber Guardians Competition on the University of Central Florida's campus July 1st in Orlando!! ASMS team members Trinity Causey, Kevin Chen, Zac Desmond, Tuyako Khristoforova, Abby Saalwachter, Ajay Wallack, and James Weaver worked well as a team to achieve a point lead through most of the competition. Points were earned in three areas; securing and keeping a crowpi device that represented a nuclear power plant running, hardening database and email servers, and solving anomalies or different types of puzzles which required cryptography, steganography, and programming skills.

"Our students demonstrated confidence, responsibility and respect throughout their travels and the competition. The teamwork and tenacity they displayed during the 4-hour event pushed them to the top of the scoreboard. Meeting other coaches and students from across the US was a great bonus," says ASMS Computer Science instructor and team coach, Ms. Deb Gray.

The Argonne Cyber Guardians Competition uses a point system to score Blue competitors' abilities to defend their energy network infrastructure from the Red Team. It is also designed to address several primary objectives that benefit DOE and the energy sector:
1. Inspire and develop high-caliber candidates to pursue a cybersecurity collegiate path.
2. Raise awareness of the DOE and the national laboratories’ leadership in cybersecurity.
3. Participation by and demonstration of value to industry partners

Argonne normally hosts this competition at the university level; this was its inaugural high school competition. Argonne also sponsored all of the airfares and hotel rooms for the students. ASMS was one of 7 teams from across the US invited to participate in Orlando on the UCF's campus. A few other teams competed remotely. The teams represented various states including Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Utah and Vermont.

Congratulations to our students on their victory!