The following story was submitted in a press release from Wilton High School.
Avni Gupta, a junior at Wilton High School has been named a Scholar by the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation for her performance in a challenging online cybersecurity training program.
Gupta earned an invitation to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy — a multi-week online program based on the nationally-recognized SANS Foundations training course and certification — valued at more than $3,000.
She competed for a top score against thousands of high school students across the nation by solving real-world cybersecurity problems. Over 45,000 high school students nationwide sought to qualify for a National Cyber Scholarship, and Gupta was one of only 1,152 students nationwide to be ranked as a Scholar.
“I am very proud to be named a Scholar in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition,” she said. “I am excited to be invited to the Cyber Foundations Academy to continue my cybersecurity education.”
The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation recognizes high school students who have demonstrated exceptional cybersecurity prowess and who wish to pursue a career in a growing field in critical need of their talent,” noted David Brown, executive director, of the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation. “The NCSF mission is to identify and develop the next generation of cyber professionals. Each and every student who participated in this competition has the potential to develop their skills and build a successful career in cybersecurity.”
There are several qualification pathways to gain a National Cyber Scholarship, including CyberStart America, a free online program that helps students discover their interest in cybersecurity and develop their talent and skills. The NCSF offers $5 million in scholarships to top-ranking competitors. The top 1,000 highest-scoring eligible CyberStart players will become National Cyber Scholars and be invited to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy.