Cyber Science @ Loyola Blakefield Big ideas are often born from humble beginnings. Apple started in a garage attached to the childhood home of Steve Jobs. Facebook originated from a tiny college dorm room. In 2012, a small group of students at Loyola Blakefield led by Director of Technology, Steve Morrill, began to answer a question yet to be explored: What role could high school (or even middle school) students play in the world of cyber science? The idea was cooked up in a kitchen (literally!) that was part of the former Jesuit residence. This group started to imagine how topics like cyber security could be made relevant outside the realm of the national and global intelligence community. Winning prestigious local and national competitions put the program on the map quickly, but student interest grew just as fast. Within a few years, the program has grown to include over 140 students, many of whom have mastered skills normally reserved for advanced college studies. At Loyola, students not only gain experience that can lead to exciting careers, but their knowledge is put to the test in competitions, they earn internships at some of the nation’s most innovative companies, and get to interact with federal and state agencies who are on the front lines of real-world cyber defense strategies. There is even a service component that matches the mission of a Jesuit school. Our students hit the road and present to parents and youth regarding internet and social media safety guidelines, how to be a responsible digital citizens, and how cyber can be applied to many areas of study. Needless to say, Loyola is where Cyber Science came to life for middle and high school students. Because it blends so well with the Jesuit approach to educating the whole person, it’s no surprise that Loyola is recognized as the global leader in cyber education.
CYBER SCIENCE:
an interdisciplinary field of study developed at the intersection of cyber technology and human behavior, which impacts the world’s leading industries, like mobile, energy, healthcare, and finance. It also impacts national security and personal privacy protection.
why does Cyber fit so well within a Jesuit School? Hear from Founder/Director Steve Morrill... We provide students with industry-caliber skills required by today’s fastest growing employers, but we do so through the lens of what a Jesuit education is all about. Some call it STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), but Jesuit schools have been blending subjects and making connections between disciplines for nearly 500 years. Our students are applying advanced skills in the classroom and test driving future careers, all through the Jesuit education that Loyola provides – one that is strong in liberal arts, but also boldly innovative. For us, leading the way at the middle and high school level through the integration of Cyber into our overall Informatics offerings is really just a way of carrying on the Jesuit tradition. We look at what problems society needs to solve and prepare our students to make a difference. So we come back to the original question: Why is Cyber being taught at Loyola Blakefield? Not only do we have the proper technical and educational approach to Cyber, but we possess a mission rooted in faith that compels us to enforce the ethics and morality that must be considered in today’s digital world.
More about Steve Recognized as the nation’s “First Cyber Teacher” in 2016, Morrill has since been on a whirlwind tour of government agencies, international conferences, and in the summer of 2017, found himself in Australia sharing his recipe for success with the leaders in education and government as they take the program he founded at Loyola and put it in place across the continent. As Loyola’s Director of Technology, Mr. Morrill oversees all aspects of technology including all software and hardware, as well as all integration to the learning environment.
You can contact Steve Morrill at cyber@loyolablakefield.org, 443-841-3460 or check us out at loyolablakefield.org/cyber “I remember meeting Mr. Morrill and the Cyber Club in 2013. It was during Loyola’s Open House. Mr. Morrill introduced himself and began passionately speaking about the Cyber Club and their achievements. The Cyber Club had recently won a competition, one that awarded each team member $5000 towards college. I knew at that moment that I wanted my son to be a part of this great opportunity. I knew the Cyber Club would allow him to demonstrate his proficiency with technology. I watched my son work hard with his team. He has developed great leadership skills. I am so proud of his dedication to be part of something great.” – Vergie Binns, mother of Ainsley O’Garro ’18
Cyber at Blakefield Goes Global The humble program that started with just a handful of students several years ago is currently being adopted by Australia During the summer of 2017, Mr. Steve Morrill traveled to Australia, where he conducted professional learning workshops and presentations for educators on the development of Loyola’s cyber program. He was personally invited by program sponsors LifeJourney, the Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE), and Day of STEM. In addition to his presentations, several current and former Loyola students participated in portions of his workshops via video conferencing. “It has been amazing to watch the tiny seed we planted here grow to become such an innovative program. It is even more gratifying to witness students go on to achieve success in the field and pursue Cyber as a passion in their college studies,” said Morrill. “This field will continue to grow, and Loyola is proud to be at the cutting edge of this global movement.” Steve’s tour included audiences consisting of teachers, students, parents, principals from government & independent schools, Board of Education leadership, university leadership, industry leadership, intelligence community members, and members of Parliament.
STOPS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING CITIES: Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Melbourne Perth Adelaide
After seeing the Cyber program spread across the globe, Steve sees the potential for continued growth. “I think the movement taking place in Australia is going to continue to push the Five Eyes (an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States) to integrate further and seek educational changes as a major part of their growth in the industry,” said Morrill. “With 93% of secondary schools in the U.S. still not teaching computer science, I think we have a long way to go domestically. So the next big frontier is really any school that is not taking computer science seriously.”
Competition SUccess CyberMaryland
2015-2016
• Three-time Champions (2013, 2014, 2015) of the defunct Maryland Cyber Challenge
Air Force Association CyberPatriot
• Each Loyola team placed in the Top 120 nationally • T eam Black was one of only 12 teams that qualified for nationals • Middle School placed 1st in Maryland and 8th nationally out of 480 teams
2014-2015 • 3 teams placed in the top 1% nationally • Upper School teams finished 1st and 3rd in Maryland and 2nd and 3rd in Mid-Atlantic Region • Middle School team finished 1st in Maryland
2016-2017 • Loyola qualified one team as a finalist in the national championship round for the second consecutive year, one of only 12 teams to make it to finals • 4,579 total teams and over 20,000 students participated • T he Middle School team finished first in the state, and fourth nationally out of 580 teams
Cyber Skyline Metropolis Cybersecurity Competition 2017 • 25 students traveled to the University of Maryland College Park • T wo rounds of competition and a corporatesponsored challenge, the latter won by a team of four Loyola Blakefield students
• 13 teams from Loyola participated and all finished in the top 6% in the country
“The internet of things has great promise because it allows us to control, customize, and improve the efficiency of the world around us. You (Loyola Cyber) are the watchers of the watchman. You have all demonstrated your knowledge commitment and capability. It’s up to you as you move forward through your employment to hold the leadership who will make the decisions accountable and make them informed; to help them make wise decisions, and when they don’t, to gently lead them and teach them so that they can. You are the watchmen, and you hold the future in your hands.” – Adam Firestone, Editor-in-Chief of United States Cybersecurity Magazine
Frequently Asked Questions
Featured internships
If I don’t know anything about computers, can I still join? Yes, absolutely! All that is required is an open mind and a desire to learn new things. In fact, some of our students who have found a passion for this subject area have not liked computers at all.
What exactly would I be learning if I participate?
From the Lab to the Field Partnerships with government agencies and corporations operating on the front lines has led to exciting opportunities for our students. From participation in conferences, hosting guest speakers, and access to facilities at the cutting edge of the field, our Dons have already glimpsed into the future of the cyber landscape.
Simply put... a lot! Our initiatives concentrate on the foundational skills that you need in order to understand today’s digital environment. The majority of our time is spent learning how to defend against today’s cyber threats. Knowing how to defend against a cyber-attack gives insight into an attacker’s mindset, which is invaluable. This includes operating systems, networks, physical security, data privacy, and current legislation on Cyber. We look at how to apply the language of Cyber to all business sectors. There isn’t a business sector today that doesn’t need someone to speak the language of Cyber.
What are some things I can read to get an idea of what you all do?
Our students are continuing their Cyber Science education... Airforce Academy Auburn University Boston College Boston University Carnegie Mellon Case Western Colorado @ Boulder Delaware Duke University Elon University Embry-Riddle Fairfield University Florida State Fordham University Frostburg State University
George Mason University Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University Le Moyne College Longwood University Louisville Loyola University Maryland Miami Ohio Mount St. Mary’s New York University Northeastern Norwich University Penn State Point Loma
Rochester Institute of Technology Santa Clara Salisbury University Towson University UMASS Amherst UMBC UNC Chapel Hill University of Baltimore University of California: San Diego University of Dallas University of Maryland College Park University of Miami University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Virginia Virginia Tech
Start with the daily news! There isn’t a day that goes by that there isn’t something in the news that has to deal with Cyber. It could be the latest organization to suffer a data breach, or it could be cyber legislation. A great source for a daily digest of what is happening in this space in all sectors is the daily CyberWire report. You can subscribe at www.thecyberwire.com
What if I am involved in other extracurricular activities? We understand Loyola students have many different interests and commitments. Students are welcome to join us at any time to hear and see what we are doing. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate as much as they would like to participate. If your schedule
permits, there is also a morning class (one credit) that you can take. If you just don’t have the time to commit to a competition team, no problem. Currently, many students in Cyber Security also participate on varsity sports teams, as well as other challenging extracurricular areas of interest. Diversity in activities is encouraged.
Will this stuff help me in college? Yes! If you are entering a technology field of study, you will have a solid technical foundation to continue your education. Even if you are not choosing to study a technology-related field, the skills and knowledge you gain as part of this program will set you apart in your field. As mentioned before, there is not a business sector or career right now that doesn’t need someone who speaks the language of Cyber. Whether it is English, Political Science, Biomedical Engineering, Law, or any other field that deals with data, all require a cyber component.
How does this fit into a Jesuit College Prep School like Loyola Blakefield? As our Grad at Grad goals state, a Loyola graduate should be open to growth and dedicated to a just world. The language of Cyber is a new component that is needed to participate in our digital world and economy. The hallmarks of a Jesuit education are the ideal place to teach a complex subject like Cyber Science. The world needs more people who have a solid moral compass and can speak the language of Cyber. Teamwork is critical for this subject area and requires thought leaders from every academic discipline. We are good at Cyber because our students are good at the rest of the course offerings we have at Loyola. With academic diversity founded on solid Ignatian principles, we are able to differentiate our approach to Cyber and life.
LEARN MORE AT LOYOLABLAKEFIELD.ORG/CYBER
Special ThankS to our Cornerstone Partners On behalf of the Loyola Blakefield community we recognize our first two Cornerstone partners. In addition with our other partners, we thank them for helping drive the 3-year programmatic needs of our CSI initiative.
The Edward St. John Foundation, inc www.esjfoundation.org
Tenable Network Security www.tenable.com
WWW.LOYOLABLAKEFIELD.ORG/CYBER