#NICEK12 NEWS
CALL FOR SPEAKER PROPOSALS NOW OPEN: THE 2024 NICE K12 CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION CONFERENCE
[Washington D.C., April 9, 2024] - The NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference Call for Proposals will open today, April 9, and run until 11:59 pm PST on June 11, 2024. The 10th annual conference will be held on December 9-10, 2024, at La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas, with pre-conference workshops on December 7-8. The national event is hosted by the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) and funded by a cooperative agreement from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This year’s conference theme is “Spurring Collaboration in K12 Cybersecurity Education.”
The 2024 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference is a two-day event that brings together educators, professionals, and thought leaders in the field of K-12 cybersecurity education to promote collaboration, share innovative practices, and explore methods to enhance cybersecurity education in K-12 settings.
The NICE K12 Conference is known to cybersecurity-related educators and educational stakeholders as the best place to engage with the thought leaders and pioneers leading the charge in classrooms, schools, districts, and regional and statewide cybersecurity education programs. The NICE K12 Conference is the national hub for providing innovative teaching and learning resources for K12 educators to inspire their students to be the future cybersecurity workforce.
The NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference is a two-day event that will focus on strategies to inspire cybersecurity career awareness, stimulate career exploration, and enable cybersecurity career preparedness for today’s youth. The conference will feature successful examples of collaboration, bold experiments and innovations, and other potentially game-changing methods in support of bringing together K12 educational leaders from academia, non-profit organizations, and government for two days of presentations, discussions, and focused hands-on workshops.
The NICE K12 Conference Planning Committee seeks proposals from organizations and individuals with diverse perspectives, including K12 educators, school counselors, higher education faculty, employers and practitioners, non-profits, curriculum providers, research centers, and training and certification providers. Topics should align with one of the five conference tracks: Increasing Cybersecurity Career Awareness, Engaging Students Where Disciplines Converge, Stimulating Innovative Cybersecurity Educational Approaches, Promoting Cybersecurity Career Pathways, and Promoting Cyber Awareness.
For more information on how to submit a proposal or to support the conference as an exhibitor or sponsor, visit the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference website at https://www.k12cybersecurityconference.org/
NICE, led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. The mission of NICE is to energize and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE fulfills this mission by coordinating with government, academic, and industry partners to build on existing successful programs, facilitate change and innovation, and bring leadership and vision to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals helping to keep our Nation secure. For more information on NICE, visit https://www.nist.gov/nice
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. iKeepSafe helps organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has become a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.
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For more information, contact Felicia Rateliff, Conference Organizer,
via email at K12Cybercon@ikeepsafe.org
2023 NICE K12 Conference Recap
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) was proud to host the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference at the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak in Phoenix, Arizona on December 2-5, 2023. The mission of this annual conference is to inspire a cybersecurity workforce for the digital age. It convened stakeholders across K12 education, higher education, students, government, industry, research, and nonprofits that are working to develop opportunities and competencies in K12 STEM programming, specifically in cybersecurity. The conference expands a national effort to document the K12 cybersecurity education programs on-going throughout the country and to address the goal: to develop a comprehensive agenda focused on the challenges of cybersecurity education at the K12 level.
The conference featured four prominent keynote speakers including:
Garrett Boyd, Senior Consultant Palo Alto Networks
Pete Kim, Executive Director RTX, ACTRA, AZ Cyber Initiative
Karine Laidley, Director of Instruction, Computer Science Project Lead The Way
CougarJade Reyes-Zavala, Student at Cactus High School
Cynthia Sutherland, U.S. Public Sector Lead, Amazon Web Services
Throughout Saturday and Sunday, participants had the option to attend pre-conference workshops. Then, throughout Monday and Tuesday, they had a myriad of break out sessions to choose from. All of the speakers offered multiple perspectives on a wide range of topics exploring the themes of career awareness, infusing cybersecurity across the education portfolio, innovative educational approaches, academic and career pathways, and cybersecurity awareness.
Monday afternoon the general session celebrated National Cyber Signing as a way to increase awareness of cybersecurity career options and pathways available to K – 12th grade students. The event this year showcased six K12 students and recent graduates who have participated in or will soon be participating in cybersecurity-related internships, apprenticeships, training, and certifications. A recording of this year’s National Cyber Signing Day will be made available on the official National Cyber Signing Day website. Learn more and access recordings of previous National Cyber Signing Days at nationalcybersigningday.org.
National Cyber Signing Day participants from left to right: Shlomo Isaacs, Phoenix College; Jeffrey Zhu, Lakota East High School; Jack Lindaman, Janesville High School; Ethan Zhao, Del Norte High School; Ilana Payne, Old Dominion University; Jeremy Sheridan, Canyon Springs High School. Student advisors are standing behind participants.
The evening social held on Monday night was a highlight as well. Attendees enjoyed drinks, good food, hands-on activities, and explored ways to integrate cybersecurity fundamentals into the K12 Classroom.
Tuesday afternoon, the general session celebrated this year’s Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award winners. The award is presented annually to two teachers – one at the elementary or middle school level and another at the secondary level – who demonstrate superior achievement in instilling skills, knowledge, and passion with respect to cybersecurity and cybersecurity-related subjects. The award recognizes demonstrated superior educator accomplishment as well as academic achievement by the educator’s students. Congratulations to this year’s award winners, who were recognized during a plenary session at the conference! Beth Cerrone, St. Vrain Valley School District, Longmont, Colorado, and Jahi Garner, Moreno Valley Unified School District, Moreno Valley, California
Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award winners, Beth Cerrone (left middle) and Jahi Garner (right middle), joined by Albert Palacios (right), Director of Cyber Education at the White House Office of the National Cyber Director and Davina Pruitt-Mentle (left), Lead for Academic Engagement at NICE.
With over 550 attendees, 16 pre-conference workshops, 42 breakout sessions in 5 tracks, several keynotes, and 30 exhibitors, the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference was our biggest conference yet. Throughout the event and in post-event communications many attendees expressed how useful it was to hear successful K12 cybersecurity education models being employed nationwide, and how valuable the networking opportunities were.
iKeepSafe appreciates Amazon, Cyber.org, Palo Alto Networks, and our other sponsors. We are looking forward to reconvening next year for the 2024 Conference on December 9-10th in San Antonio, TX! Stay tuned for future updates with more details.
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION OPEN FROM SEPTEMBER 22 - OCTOBER 23, 2023
As the conference host, iKeepSafe is excited to announce that Early Bird Registration for the 2023 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference is OPEN NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 23rd.
The 2023 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference takes place on Monday and Tuesday, December 4-5, 2023 at the Hilton Phoenix at the Peak in Phoenix, Arizona. Pre-Conference Workshops will occur on Saturday and Sunday, December 2-3, 2023 at the Grand Canyon University Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
This year's conference will provide education and learning tools that educators and schools can use immediately. Don't miss out on this jam-packed event with keynote speakers, presentations, panels, and break-out sessions covering five tracks:
Track 1: Increasing Cybersecurity Career Awareness
Track 2: Engaging Students Where Disciplines Converge
Track 3: Stimulating Innovative Cybersecurity Educational Approaches
Track 4: Promoting Cybersecurity Career Pathways
Track 5: Promoting Cyber Awareness
The conference agenda will include over 30 LIVE programming sessions in Phoenix plus additional ON-DEMAND videos that will be available to registered attendees for three months post-event. There will be abundant networking opportunities including discussion boards, social groups, one-on-one meetups, and gamification built into the agenda.
Join your fellow educators, administrators, school counselors, students, and representatives from government and industry at what is sure to be an AWESOME event. The $295 Early Bird Registration pricing lasts only until October 23, 2023.
Inspiring Future Cybersecurity Career Paths: The 2022 National Cyber Signing Day Presentation Video Made Available to the Public by iKeepSafe
[WASHINGTON, D.C., January 13, 2023] On Monday, December 5 at 3:00 PM CST, during the 2023 NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, host organization iKeepSafe aired the fifth annual National Cyber Signing Day presentation to over 550 live viewers.
Featuring seven students from four different states, the 2023 National Cyber Signing Day elevated K12 students’ cybersecurity achievements to the level of professional signing days for student-athletes. Integrating key elements of high-energy sports events - music, video packages, guest speakers, mascots, special messages from coaches and staff, and inspirational messaging. The presentation also expressed gratitude to the teachers and staff who supported students’ aspirations and encouraged employers to provide work-based experiences for K12 level students.
The 2023 National Cyber Signing Day recorded presentation, launched live during the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, has been made public and can be viewed online at:
https://www.nationalcybersigningday.org/home#VIDEOS
The 2022 National Cyber Signing Day featured the following students:
Jaden George from Basha High School in Chandler, Arizona
Nathan Wiltrout from Warrensburg High School in Warrensburg, Missouri
Grant Shanklin from Olathe Northwest High School in Olathe, Kansas
Lindsey Walter from Thomas Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland
Karthikeya Thota from Farmington High School in Farmington, Michigan
Anderson Rowcroft from Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas
Christopher Barber from Lakota West High School in Westchester, Ohio
The students’ high-energy introductions were provided by Master of Ceremonies Roger Brallier, Assistant Principal at Houston Middle School in Missouri and former high school football announcer.
In 2018, Conference host iKeepSafe first featured the National Cyber Signing Day presentation at the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Since then, National Cyber Signing Day has become a highly anticipated and integral part of the conference’s goal of promoting, recruiting, and expanding the US cybersecurity workforce of the future.
Said iKeepSafe Director of Operations and NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference Coordinator, Felicia Rateliff:
“By featuring the National Cyber Signing Day presentation during the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, a national event for cybersecurity educators, we hope to inspire organizations and schools across the country to provide similar events celebrating K12 students’ achievements on their paths toward cybersecurity and STEM related careers. We hope that by making this video public, it will be a source of inspiration for students, educators, and businesses alike.”
Preparations for the 2023 National Cyber Signing Day are well underway, and will debut at the 2023 NICE K12 Conference in Phoenix, Arizona on December 4, 2023. Educators or businesses with a high school student who will be entering or is in a cybersecurity related internship, apprenticeship, or other training program during 2023 are welcome to nominate potential student participants. The application form may be found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe15y3NG4dJWw0BwioIvv9nJbjet0SH_Dn59fUspGvsuAVrYQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
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About iKeepSafe - The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. We help organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has evolved into a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. ikeepSafe has been the host of the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference for the past five years. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.
KEYNOTES ANNOUNCED: 2022 NICE K12 CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION CONFERENCE
The 2022 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference will convene IN-PERSON on December 5-6 at the St. Louis Marriott Grand Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. This interactive event will offer enhanced and expanded programming to strengthen and grow your K12 cybersecurity education programs and students to the next level!
The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) and iKeepSafe (Conference Hosts) are thrilled to announce the following keynote speakers for the 2022 conference:
For 19 years, Bastian Freund has been a Special Agent for the FBI Violent Crimes including robbery, murder, kidnapping, fugitives, and carjackings. In 2015 Bastian became a member of the Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) which is a cadre of highly trained Special Agents who are experts in the field of cellular analysis. Of the 14,000 Special Agents of the FBI, less than 100 have achieved CAST certification. Their skill sets are used daily to assist local, state, and federal counterparts to further investigations and help find missing children all over the world.
Susan serves as Vice President, Talent and Community Engagement for Mastercard, responsible for talent engagement, global employee volunteerism and global disaster response. She founded the company’s signature STEM curriculum, Girls4Tech™, which has reached more than 1.6M girls in 45 countries. Previously, Susan held the position of Sr. Director, Corporate Communications for Time Warner Cable, where she was responsible for employee engagement and internal communications.
Arica Willis is a 2022 Graduate of Spotsylvania High School and is currently enrolled as a freshmen at Old Dominion University, where she is studying for her undergraduate degree in Cyber Operations. As a founding member of the Spotsylvania Cyber Knights, Arica was active in many capture the flag competitions, including Girls Go CyberStart, CyberStart America, and Radford University’s RUSecure. During her senior year Arica created Spotsy Hacks, a free middle school cybersecurity day camp that covered topics such as coding, cyber basics, online safety, and cryptography. Arica has helped shape the way for many other female students who have since joined Cyber Knights.
View the full speaker biographies here:
CALL FOR SPEAKER PROPOSALS NOW OPEN: THE 2022 NICE (NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION) K12 CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION CONFERENCE
CALL FOR SPEAKER PROPOSALS NOW OPEN: THE 2022 NICE (NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION) K12 CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION CONFERENCE
[Washington D.C., April 12, 2022] - The NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference Call for Speaker Proposals will open today, April 12 and run until 11:59pm PST on June 24, 2022. The 8th annual conference will be held on December 5-6, 2022 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in St. Louis, Missouri. The national event is hosted by the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) and funded by a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This year’s conference theme is, “Expanding the Gateway to the Cybersecurity Workforce of the Future.”
The 2022 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference is a two-day event that will focus on strategies to inspire cybersecurity career awareness, stimulate career exploration, and enable cybersecurity career preparedness for today’s youth. The conference will feature successful examples of collaboration, bold experiments and innovations, and other potentially game-changing methods in support of bringing together K12 educators, educational leaders, non-profit organizations, and government for two days of presentations, discussions, panels, and networking opportunities.
The NICE K12 Conference Planning Committee seeks proposals from a diverse array of organizations and individuals with different perspectives, including K12 educators, students, school counselors, higher education faculty, employers and practitioners, non-profits, curriculum providers, research centers, and training and certification providers. Topics should align with one of the five conference tracks: Increasing Cybersecurity Career Awareness, Engaging Students Where Disciplines Converge, Stimulating Innovative Cybersecurity Educational Approaches, Promoting Cybersecurity Career Pathways, and Promoting Cyber Awareness.
For more information on how to submit a proposal or to support the conference as an exhibitor or sponsor, visit the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference website at https://www.k12cybersecurityconference.org/
About NICE - The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. The mission of NICE is to energize and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE fulfills this mission by coordinating with government, academic, and industry partners to build on existing successful programs, facilitate change and innovation, and bring leadership and vision to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals helping to keep our Nation secure. For more information on NICE, visit https://www.nist.gov/nice
About iKeepSafe - The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. We help organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has evolved into a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.
Recapping the 2021 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
At the end of last year, iKeepSafe hosted the 7th annual NICE K12 VIRTUAL Cybersecurity Education Conference on December 6-7, 2021 with pre-conference workshops on December 4-5.
Due to COVID-19, we made the decision early on in 2021 to once again make it a fully virtual conference. It was highly successful with over 500 attendees from 48 states and 5 countries! There were 148 speakers and panelists, and 12 pre-conference workshops that took place on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the event.
There were some exciting new additions this year, including:
virtual poster sessions,
a “speed networking” social,
a leaderboard competition,
an exhibitor passport raffle,
a photo caption contest,
and a Capture the Flag competition put on by Virginia Cyber Range.
There were also additional networking engagement opportunities including virtual video meetups initiated by attendees, Birds of a Feather morning networking sessions, and lively discussion boards with thousands of posts and comments. We were honored to feature three keynote speakers:
Jennifer Buckner, Senior Vice President, Technology Risk Governance & Standards at Mastercard
Sarah Kaleel, Program Manager at Comcast
Efren Zamaro, Student Keynote, Associate Analyst, Falcon Complete at Crowdstrike
Another highlight of the event was the fourth annual National Cyber Signing Day. This year the hour-long high-energy presentation was pre-recorded and featured six high school students’ stories about participating in cybersecurity-related internships over the past year. This video and the 2020 video are available to the public via the conference website. It’s a great way to inspire young people to enter similar programs, or inspire schools to put together similar videos!
Through generous stipends provided by Mastercard and CISA, we provided free attendance for 120 high school teachers. These stipends were prioritized to teachers in diverse and/or low-income cities and rural areas of the United States. One first time attendee said,
“I just want to take the time to thank you for running such a wonderful conference. It’s not ideal that everything is virtual, but you made the best of it, and provided many authentic learning opportunities…Seeing some of the big stars of cyber education was wonderful also. I received a scholarship to attend this event. Many of us (cyber teachers) are the only ones in our community…We need to network with others, and this is the event that makes that happen. Thank you!”
– Sarah Putterman, Cheltenham High School, Wyncote PA
Be sure to save the date for the 2021 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference on December 5-6, 2022. The conference will be held in person at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Go to the conference website and sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of any page to receive updates.
Top Five Reasons to Attend the 2021 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
TOP FIVE REASONS YOU SHOULD ATTEND #NICEK12
1. Take part in 50+ keynote, breakout, and panel sessions featuring top industry, academic and government experts from organizations like CompTIA, PTLW, Redhat, National Cryptological Museum, Mastercard, Cyber.org, CISA, and more.
2. Network with 100's of educators just like you from across the US and the globe. Build lasting relationships to bolster your professional resources.
3. Access tons of videos, documents, lesson plans, guides and activities you can use immediately in your classroom.
4. Drop into exhibitor booths and poster sessions to learn cutting edge trends in the cybersecurity industry to share with your students.
and
5. No Sub? No problem! Attend on your own schedule. The entire conference virtual platform, including event replays, documents, networking tools are available through July 2022!
Call for Proposals Runs April 13-June 18, 2021 for the 2021 Virtual NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
Beginning April 13, 2021, the NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) Virtual K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference Planning Committee is accepting proposals for its annual conference that will be held on December 6-7, 2021 as a fully virtual event. The annual conference is hosted by the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) and funded by a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This year’s conference theme is, “Broadening the Path to Cybersecurity Careers Through K12 Education”.
The NICE Virtual K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference is a two-day event that will focus on strategies to inspire cybersecurity career awareness, stimulate career exploration, and enable cybersecurity career preparedness for today’s youth. The conference will feature successful examples of collaboration, bold experiments and innovations, and other potentially game-changing methods in support of bringing together K12 educators, educational leaders, non-profit organizations, and government for two days of presentations, discussions, panels, and networking opportunities.
The NICE K12 Conference Planning Committee seeks proposals from a diverse array of organizations and individuals with different perspectives, including K12 educators, students, school counselors, higher education faculty, employers and practitioners, non-profits, curriculum providers, research centers, and training and certification providers. Topics should align with one of the five conference tracks: Increasing Cybersecurity Career Awareness, Engaging Students Where Disciplines Converge, Stimulating Innovative Cybersecurity Educational Approaches, Promoting Cybersecurity Career Pathways, and Promoting Cyber Awareness.
Read the Call for Proposal information, frequently asked questions, and submit a proposal are here. Submissions will be accepted from April 13-June 18, 2021.
About NICE - The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. The mission of NICE is to energize and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE fulfills this mission by coordinating with government, academic, and industry partners to build on existing successful programs, facilitate change and innovation, and bring leadership and vision to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals helping to keep our Nation secure. For more information on NICE, visit https://www.nist.gov/nice
About iKeepSafe - The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. We help organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has evolved into a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.
iKeepSafe Announces Virtual Format for 2021 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
For Immediate Release
Contact: Felicia Rateliff, iKeepSafe. Email: conference@ikeepsafe.org
[Washington D.C., February 23, 2021] iKeepSafe, together with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), announces that for a second year, the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference will be a fully virtual event. In an effort to be mindful of the continued disparate impacts of COVID-19 to include health concerns, travel restrictions, budget impacts, and based on the conference's continued commitment to equity and inclusion, the Conference will once again bring its community spirit and networking energy to an inspiring and engaging online space.
The NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, previously slated to take place in St. Louis, Missouri, will now be a virtual experience on December 6-7, 2021 where attendees will engage with cutting-edge presentations, networking, and resources—all from the safety and comfort of their home or office. During this exciting virtual event, attendees will:
Participate in live interactive breakout sessions led by industry experts
Hear from inspiring keynote speakers
Explore the virtual exhibitor hall, where they can schedule one-on-one meetings with exhibitors and discover the latest technologies, products and services
Connect digitally with presenters and peers to network, share ideas, and discuss best practices
Have access to event content for up to one year after the event concludes, providing an on-demand experience accessible to all schedules
Click here for more details about why the decision was made to hold the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference as a virtual event again in 2021.
About NICE - The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. The mission of NICE is to energize and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE fulfills this mission by coordinating with government, academic, and industry partners to build on existing successful programs, facilitate change and innovation, and bring leadership and vision to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals helping to keep our Nation secure. For more information on NICE, visit https://www.nist.gov/nice
About iKeepSafe - The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. We help organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has evolved into a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. IkeepSafe has been the host of the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference for the past five years. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.
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For more information, contact Felicia Rateliff via email at conference@ikeepsafe.org
To download a PDF of this press release, click the button below:
Inspiring the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Leaders: National Cyber Signing Day Celebrates High School Students’ Achievements
Held during the 2020 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, iKeepSafe and Javilud showcased seven students enrolled in cybersecurity classes, excelling in cybersecurity competitions, and exceeding expectations in work-based experiences.
[WASHINGTON, D.C., December 14, 2020] On Monday, December 7 at 5:45 PM EST, during the 2020 NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) Virtual K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, host organization iKeepSafe aired the third annual National Cyber Signing Day presentation to over 1,000 live viewers.
Featuring seven students from four different states, the 2020 National Cyber Signing Day elevated K12 students’ cybersecurity achievements to the level of professional signing days for student athletes. Integrating key elements of high-energy sports events - music, video packages, guest speakers, mascots, special messages from coaches and staff, and inspirational messaging. The presentation also expressed gratitude to the teachers and staff who supported students’ aspirations, and encouraged employers to provide work-based experiences for K12 level students.
The 2020 National Cyber Signing Day recorded presentation, launched live during the Conference, has been made public and can be viewed online at:
https://www.k12cybersecurityconference.org/2020-national-cyber-signing-day-video
Said iKeepSafe Director of Operations and NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference Coordinator, Felicia Rateliff:
“By featuring the National Cyber Signing Day presentation during the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, a national event for cybersecurity educators, we hope to inspire organizations and schools across the country to provide similar events celebrating K12 students’ achievements on their paths toward cybersecurity and STEM related careers. We hope that by making this video public, it will be a source of inspiration for students, educators, and businesses alike.”
The 2020 National Cyber Signing Day featured the following students:
David Counselman, Jr., a junior at Utopia High School in Utopia, Texas
Eric Dinh, a senior at Huntsville High School in Huntsville, Alabama
Safe Gergis, a senior at Troy High School in Fullerton, California
Samuel Grant, an 11th grader at Moscow High School in Moscow, Idaho
Josiah James, a 10th grader from Sam Houston High School in San Antonio, Texas
Charissa Kim, a 2020 high school graduate from California
Emily Moody, a senior at New Century Technology High School in Huntsville, Alabama
Guest speakers included representatives of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, CISA within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, GenCyber, CompTIA, the Cyber Hero Adventures Show, Javilud LLC, Troy High School in Fullerton, California, and a congratulatory video message from the University of Texas at San Antonio. The students’ high-energy introductions were provided by Master of Ceremonies Greg Simmons, San Antonio, Texas KSAT12 sports news director and anchor.
In 2018, Conference host iKeepSafe partnered with Amanda Lee Keammerer, CEO of Javilud LLC, who originally conceived the National Cyber Signing Day idea, to first feature the presentation at the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Since then, the National Cyber Signing Day has become a highly anticipated and integral part of the conference’s goal of promoting, recruiting, and expanding the US cybersecurity workforce of the future. Keammerer stated:
“In 2018, NICE trusted us to completely reimagine what a lunch event looked like at their annual conference. To see how far we have come in three short years is a testament to the strength of collaboration and creativity between the public sector, industry, schools, and non-profit organizations like iKeepSafe. Centering student voices was particularly important this year, as our students have excelled despite COVID-19, distance learning, and other factors out of their control. I hope that people watch this video, and feel inspired to ask students for their opinions more often - and to hire more high school students!”
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About iKeepSafe - The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. We help organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has evolved into a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. IkeepSafe has been the host of the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference for the past five years. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org.
About Javilud - Founded in 2017, Javilud LLC transforms innovation at the intersection of people, politics, technology, and art. Through consulting services, signature events, and creative collaborations, we elevate public discourse, engage diverse perspectives, and strengthen communities. Igniting curiosity and stretching beyond comfort zones is what we do best – for ourselves, for our clients, and for the world: www.javilud.com . Javilud is proud to be a woman-owned, minority-owned, and Hispanic-owned small business.
For questions or comments please contact:
Felicia Rateliff, iKeepSafe; conference@ikeepsafe.org
Amanda Keammerer, Javilud LLC; amanda@javilud.com
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For more information on National Cyber Signing Day participation, support, and sponsorship opportunities, visit this page:
iKeepSafe and NIST Join Forces on K12 Cybersecurity Education
iKeepSafe is thrilled to continue partnering with the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to assist the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE). Our collaborative goal is to build a K12 community that inspires cybersecurity career awareness with students in elementary school, stimulates cybersecurity career exploration in middle school, and enables cybersecurity career preparedness in high school.
Through a competitive process announced in April, iKeepSafe was selected to manage the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Outreach Program for the next five years. The effort will include a year-round communication and engagement strategy that culminates in the annual NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference. Outreach efforts will be focused on national and regional partnerships, international partnerships, and steady community outreach.
iKeepSafe is the current incumbent coordinating and organizing the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference and over the past four years has strategically expanded conference offerings to create an attendee experience uniquely tailored to the K12 audience. This format includes hands-on pre-conference workshops, events for local middle school age girls, pre-conference tours, and National K12 Cyber Signing Day – a unique, high-energy event highlighting high school students who have signed on for paid internships and industry who are recognizing emerging talent.
LEARN MORE ABOUT IKEEPSAFE AT https://ikeepsafe.org/
iKeepSafe Announces Change to a Virtual Format for 2020 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
iKeepSafe Announces Change to a Virtual Format for 2020 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
[Washington D.C., June 23, 2020] - iKeepSafe, together with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), announces a change in the format of the 2020 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference from in-person to virtual. In an effort to be mindful of the disparate impacts of COVID-19 to include health concerns, travel restrictions, budget impacts, and based on the conference's continued commitment to equity and inclusion, the Conference will be reimagined to bring the community spirit and networking energy to an inspiring and engaging online space.
The NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, previously slated to take place on December 7-8, 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri, will now be a virtual experience where attendees will engage with cutting-edge presentations, networking, and resources—all from the safety and comfort of their home or office. During this exciting virtual event, attendees will:
Participate in live interactive breakout sessions led by industry experts
Hear from inspiring keynote speakers
Access recordings of other sessions presented during the conference
Explore the virtual exhibitor hall, where they can schedule one-on-one meetings with exhibitors and discover the latest technologies, products and services
Connect digitally with presenters and peers to network, share ideas, and discuss best practices
More details about the reimagined conference experience will be shared later this summer at k12cybersecurityconference.org and at #2020NICEK12.
About NICE - The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused energizing and promote a robust network and an ecosystem of cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. NICE fulfills this mission by coordinating with government, academic, and industry partners to build on existing successful programs, facilitate change and innovation, and bring leadership and vision to increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals helping to keep our Nation secure. NICE supports the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference under financial assistance award #60NANB16D302. For more information on NICE, visit nist.gov/nice
About iKeepSafe - The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) certifies digital products as compliant with state and federal requirements for handling protected personal information. We help organizations achieve and maintain compliance through product assessments, monthly monitoring, annual training, and assistance with remediation. Governors, First Spouses, and State Attorneys General from throughout the United States joined with law enforcement agencies, and child safety advocates in the formation of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) a national effort promoting the safe and healthy use of technology. iKeepSafe was founded by Jacalyn S. Leavitt, former First Lady of Utah, in 2005. Over the past decade, iKeepSafe has evolved into a leading organization trusted internationally by families, educators, and industry. IkeepSafe has been the host of the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference for the past five years. For more information on iKeepSafe, visit ikeepsafe.org
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For more information, contact Felicia Rateliff via email at conference@ikeepsafe.org