Forging the Future of Cybersecurity: A Summer of CyberPatriot Training and Teamwork

Our Camp Slogan

This summer, in the heart of San Antonio at St. Mary’s University, I had the incredible opportunity to lead two cybersecurity camps as part of the CyberTexas Foundation’s CyberPatriot Summer Camps: the Standard Camp and the Advanced Camp. These camps brought together students from across the local and surrounding areas—from first-time cyber explorers to returning competitors looking to sharpen their skills for the upcoming CyberPatriot season.

Both camps were packed with hands-on learning, real-world scenarios, and the kind of teamwork and mentorship that define the spirit of cybersecurity education. Whether it was hardening a Linux machine, configuring a Cisco router, or solving a digital forensics puzzle, these young defenders showed they were ready to take on any challenge thrown their way.

🔰 Standard Camp: Building the Foundation

At the Standard Camp, we focused on core cybersecurity principles. Students explored:

Windows and Linux Fundamentals – learning how to identify vulnerabilities, harden systems, and manage user accounts

File Permissions and Secure Configurations – diving into system settings and understanding how attackers exploit weak configurations

Intro to Networking – exploring IP addressing, network structure, and basic threat detection

The CyberTexas Foundation CyberPatriot Standard Camp

For many students, this was their first introduction to cybersecurity—and it was incredible to watch them gain confidence with every lab and discussion.

⚙️ Advanced Camp: Deep Dives and Hands-On Labs

The Advanced Camp took things to the next level. Students tackled more complex and real-world scenarios, including:

• Cisco Packet Tracer Labs – configuring routers and switches while learning subnetting through guided and self-paced exercises

• Linux Mint Administration – mastering command-line tools, user management, software updates, and navigating the Linux directory structure

• Windows Sysinternals Toolkit – using Process Explorer, TCPView, and command-line utilities to analyze processes and track suspicious behavior

• The Cyber Viking CTF – a custom Capture the Flag challenge filled with OSINT, cryptography, digital forensics, and creative puzzles that emphasized collaboration and logical thinking

The CTF became one of the highlights of camp, as teams competed under time pressure to solve increasingly difficult challenges—many of which mirrored real-world cyber scenarios.

🎮 CTD Battles: Lunchtime Just Got Competitive

And then there was the lunchtime tradition that caught fire across both camps: Cyber Threat Defender card game battles! Each day, campers squared off in CTD matches, deploying firewalls, battling phishing campaigns, and launching patch management defenses in a fun and strategic way.

One of the most talked-about matches? A head-to-head CTD showdown between Firewire of the Hondo Cyber Owls and Laps from the Nimitz Middle School CyberPatriot Team—both claiming bragging rights over a table full of cheering onlookers.

🙌 Thank You to Our Supporters and Partners

These camps wouldn’t be possible without an incredible team of supporters:

To our volunteer mentors from CrowdStrike: Your real-world expertise, enthusiasm, and mentorship brought a professional spark to our Advanced Camp. Thank you for showing our campers what a career in cybersecurity really looks like.

To the CyberTexas Foundation Crew—Mia, Gio, Luke, Amada, Paulina, Brian and Trish: Your tireless support, behind-the-scenes work, and dedication to student success made both camps run smoothly from start to finish. Whether managing logistics, checking in students, or troubleshooting tech, you made it all happen.

💡 Looking Ahead

Cybersecurity isn’t just a job skill—it’s a mindset, a mission, and a responsibility. Watching these students grow their skills, ask thoughtful questions, and tackle each challenge reminded me why this work matters. They are the next generation of cyber defenders, and this summer, they took a big step forward.