Last updated on July 28, 2023:
- A GenCyber teacher camp was held at Michigan Tech during the week of July 24 - 28,
2023. For more information, visit here.
- Visit the Canvas page to access camp materials and camp schedule.
- Explore photos and videos from past GenCyber camps by clicking here.
- If you are a local student and interested in cybersecurity competitions, join the CyberHusky team.
The GenCyber program provides summer cybersecurity camp experiences for students and
teachers at the K-12 level. The goals of the program are to help students understand
safe on-line behavior, learn fundamental cybersecurity knowledge, increase interest
in cybersecurity careers, and improve pedagogical methods for delivering cybersecurity
content in K-12 curricula.
The GenCyber camps at Michigan Tech are live-in / commuting programs jointly managed
by Michigan Tech’s Summer Youth Program (SYP) and faculty from the College of Computing.
The GenCyber camps are offered at no cost to all participants. All selected participants will receive a scholarship which covers all tuition, classroom
supplies, and room and board. Funding of the GenCyber camps will be provided jointly
by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) through
awards received by Michigan Tech. The GenCyber camps are contingent on funding availability.
What topics are taught in GenCyber Camps
The GenCyber camps will cover various aspects of Cyber Hygiene and fundamental cybersecurity
knowledge including security, privacy, cyber ethics, email phishing, social engineering,
password management, coding, Linux, networking, common security vulnerabilities and
attacks. Camp activities include hands-on exercises, interactive lectures, games,
career exploration, and campus tours. Camp participants will not only learn cybersecurity
knowledge during the camp, but also serve as Cyber Ambassadors to preach cybersecurity
to others after the camp.
The GenCyber camp is co-managed by the Summer Youth Program (SYP) office at Michigan
Tech. Want to explore other exciting SYP opportunities? please visit https://www.mtu.edu/syp/.
Camp in 2022: GenCyber Student Camp at Michigan Tech - "Cybersecurity + AI"
There is no plan to host a GenCyber student camp in 2023.
Camp Title: GenCyber Teacher Camp at Michigan Tech - "Cyber Ambassador"
Date: July 24 - 28, 2023
Submit a GenCyber Teacher Application
Applications was closed now.
The GenCyber camp a one-week, beginner-level, residential summer program for thirty
middle / high school teachers held on Michigan Tech campus, with various pre-camp
and post-camp activities during the school year. Each teacher participant will receive a stipend of $600 for attending and completing
GenCyber activities. Teachers are expected to develop two lesson plans and implement them in classroom
teaching. GenCyber is a live-in program (commuting optional), and is offered at no
cost to all participants.
Participant eligibility requirements
The GenCyber teacher camp is open to all middle / high school teachers in the U.S.
with preference given to STEM teachers. Must be a U.S. Citizen. Prior knowledge of
computer and cybersecurity is not required. However, it’s helpful to have strong interest
in computer and cybersecurity. Women and underrepresented minority groups in STEM
are strongly encouraged to apply.
Teacher stipend and lesson plan development
Each teacher participant will receive a stipend of $600 for attending and completing
GenCyber activities. Teachers are expected to develop two lesson plans and implement
them in classroom teaching. There will be dedicated time for lesson plan development during the camp, with help
from K-12 experts. Teachers are encouraged to work in groups on lesson plan development.
Potential lesson plan topics include cyber ethics, safe online behavior, career opportunities,
email phishing, computer, coding, Linux, network, wireless, encryption, hacking, and
many others. Previous camp participants include teachers of computer, technology,
math, science, social studies, language arts, special education and others.
GenCyber is a live-in program (commuting optional), and is offered at no cost to all
participants. Live-in camp participants will stay overnight in the Michigan Tech residence hall
(Hillside) during their time at GenCyber. Commuters will commute every day to participate
in day-time activities. Room and board is included for live-in participants. The room
is a suite (Hillside) with 4 single bedrooms that share 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and
a living room. For live-in campers, three meals are included per day. For commuter
campers, breakfast and lunch are included each day. Click here to view the residence hall information.
Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from campus, which
may include travel expenses, parking fees, and other costs. Check-in is held on Sunday
prior to the program.
Most participants choose to drive to Michigan Tech campus located in Houghton, MI.
Participants arriving by car can stop by at the front entrance of Wadsworth Hall where you'll be greeted by our program staff and check-in.
Our local airport, Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX), is located just fifteen
minutes from campus. The airport is served by United Airlines, and all flights to/from
CMX connect through Chicago O'Hare (ORD).
If you are traveling with your family, there are a variety of local area lodging options available to them.
Continuing education credits for teachers
The GenCyber camp curriculum was built based upon the Michigan Computer Science K-12 Standards. Teacher participants will be able to use GenCyber activities to count for at least
24 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs).
The camp also includes 8 hours of pre-camp activities and 8 hours of post-camp activities.
All these activities will be hosted virtually during evenings or weekends (Date &
Time TBA). Camp candidates are expected to participate in these activities.
Pre-Camp activities (8 hours)
Pre-Camp activities (8 hours) include:
1) GenCyber Kickstart Workshop: virtual, one hour
2) Introduction to Computing Systems: virtual, one hour
3) Introduction to Network and the Internet: virtual, one hour
4) Introduction to Programming: virtual, one hour
5) Introduction to Data and Analysis: virtual, one hour
6) Introduction to Impacts of Computing: virtual, one hour
7) Introduction to Cybersecurity: virtual, one hour
8) Introduction to Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards: virtual, one hour
Post-Camp activities (8-10 hours)
Post-Camp activities (8-10 hours) include:
1) Cybersecurity Awareness Month: one hour
2) Governor's High School Cyber Challenge: four hours
3) Summer Wonder Hack Cybersecurity Competition: four hours
Past GenCyber camps:
Additional Resources:
The project PI is Prof. Yu Cai from the College of Computing at Michigan Tech. The lead instructor is Mr. Tim Van Wagner who is also from the College of Computing at Michigan Tech.
Steve Kass and Emily Gochis from the Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD)
provide K-12 pedagogical expertise in curriculum development. Thomas Cogswell from
the College of Computing is the project coordinator. The Summer Youth Program (SYP)
Office at Michigan Tech offers tremendous help on registration and camp management.
Other project personnel include undergraduate students, camp helpers, and SYP staff.
If you have questions and/or would like to be notified about future cybersecurity
camps or similar offerings, please contact us at: gencyber@mtu.edu
