CompuGirls Hawaiʻi Accepting Applications for Free Virtual Cybersecurity and Information Technology Spring Program

Hawaiʻi girls in grades 8-12 are encouraged to apply for the”CompuGirls Hawaiʻi Spring Camp 2021″ program. The free and virtual program is aimed at introducing and educating underrepresented Hawaiʻi girls in STEM education, cybersecurity and information technology.

Students will participate in nine two-hour sessions on Saturdays from Feb. 20 – April 24, 2021 and will be provided with full access to the curriculum and activities. The registration deadline is Friday, Feb. 12, 2021.

“CompuGirls Hawaiʻi provides Hawaiʻi girls with the unique opportunity to explore cybersecurity and IT with access to mentors, job shadowing and industry internships,” said Jodi Ito, chair of CyberHawaii and chief information security officer of the University of Hawai‘i. “Following the success of our Fall 2020 program, we look forward to welcoming a new Spring cohort and engaging students in new activities, while connecting them with local leaders and exploring possible career paths.”

The Spring Camp will include the use of innovative technologies such as Gather.Town, a virtual space for students to interact more effectively online combining video-calling with a 2D map, and micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer that introduces how software and hardware work together. In addition, students will be introduced to cryptography: the practice of encrypting and decrypting data; the role of ciphers in cybersecurity: guessing the cipher key to reveal encrypted data; whether cracking ciphers is ethical; and much more.

Registration for CompuGirls Hawaiʻi Spring Camp 2021 is free and open to Hawaiʻi girls, grades 8-12. Students who do not have access to a laptop with USB ports and/or Wi-Fi must indicate that in their application and devices will be provided to them for the duration of the program.

The inaugural CompuGirls Hawaii Fall cohort was led by Hawaii public school teachers selected as mentor-teachers to implement the curriculum and were responsible for student academic growth. The Fall cohort had 49 students representing Oʻahu, Maui, Lānaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island with a large number identifying as Native Hawaiian or having more than one ethnicity.

CompuGirls Hawaii is an affiliate of COMPUGIRLS, a national program focused on increasing opportunities for girls of color in the fields of science and technology. The program was developed in partnership with CyberHawaii, the University of Hawai‘i, Arizona State University Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology and the Defense STEM Education Consortium. The goal of CompuGirls Hawaii is to introduce Hawaii girls, from populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM, to cybersecurity and IT as a field of study and viable career path.