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<p class="xmsonormal"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"><img width="624" height="147" style="width:6.5in;height:1.5312in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D6AEC2.B11E9BF0"></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">October 30, 2020</span></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">CyberStart America encourages Idaho Students to pursue cybersecurity education<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today the state’s participation in CyberStart America - an innovative, online cybersecurity competition sponsored by the National Cyber
Scholarship Foundation and the SANS Institute and supported by the Idaho National Laboratory.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">“My administration is focused on advancing Idaho’s education system so our talented young students have the opportunity to pursue technical careers in Idaho and beyond,” Governor
Little said. “Initiatives such as CyberStart America allow Idaho to partner with world-leading experts to develop the next generation of cybersecurity leaders and innovators.”
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Idaho students in grades 9-12 are encouraged to explore their aptitude for cybersecurity and computer science and win prizes, scholarships and recognition for their themselves and
their schools. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Through the free program, teams of students solve a series of online challenges and puzzles that teach skills such as code breaking, programming, networking, and digital forensics.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">To encourage the participation of young women and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) cadets, specific communities have been established in the program for these groups
that offer additional support and awards. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Any student team that completes the first five challenges will be invited to participate in a national competition where millions of dollars in college scholarships will be awarded.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation plans to award scholarships worth a total of $2 million for use at any accredited college to the 600 highest scoring students who participate
in the national competition. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">There will also be additional incentives for Idaho high schools including exclusive access to cybersecurity education resources and cyber skills mastery badges.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Students and teachers do not need prior knowledge or experience in information technology or cybersecurity to participate.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">The program provides all the resources and training to enable students to be successful.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">In addition, through Idaho National Laboratory’s Coding Coalition, teachers or counselors who support a student team are eligible for a $1,500 stipend and access to an INL cyber
guide who will help mentor student competitors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Since 2018, more than 600 Idaho high school students have participated in the program, which was formerly known as Girls Go CyberStart.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">Last year, students from five Idaho schools earned an invitation to the national competition where they competed against more than 400 other schools. At the end of the competition,
three Idaho schools placed among the top 30 nationwide. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">For more information on the program, or to register to play, visit
</span><a href="https://www.cyberstartamerica.org/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">cyberstartamerica.org</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">The program is open for play from now until Feb. 28, 2021.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" align="center" style="text-align:center;background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"># # #</span></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">Marissa Morrison </span></span><span class="xspellingerror"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">Hyer</span></span><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">,
Press Secretary</span></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">208-943-1686 or </span></span><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov" target="_blank"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:#0563C1">marissa.morrison@gov.idaho.gov</span></span></a></span><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">National contact:
</span><a href="mailto:apaller@nationalcyberscholarship.org"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">apaller@nationalcyberscholarship.org</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans"">
</span></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">--</span></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span style="color:black"><a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001jPcDrZTUF2iffZAaFR5CaCO9D9OTNmcIrS9m2JnRBQLxSmCCDvAfzkhQC6WRNcW4O6931CUyPvAzTSP21AiJ4rioUvabaHbWJxzuwF2hEYM%3D" target="_blank"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:#0563C1">Sign
up to receive news from Governor Little</span></i></span></a></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="xparagraph" style="background:white"><span class="xnormaltextrun"><i><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black">Reply to this e-mail to unsubscribe</span></i></span><span class="xeop"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans";color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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