The cyber security team is one of the two Fairfax County high school teams left in the Cyberpatriot tournament.
The team has won two out of four rounds in the Airforce Association sponsored tournament, which consists of four rounds of tests for cyber security teams in high schools nationwide.
“There were a thousand high schools in this competition, now they’re down to the top 25,” academy administrator Jeff McFarland said.
At this point in the tournament Marshall High School and Chantilly High School are the only ones from Fairfax County left in the tournament, beating Langley High School and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
“We still have to beat Chantilly,” junior Peter Morrisey said.
If the Statesmen pass the third round on Jan. 28, they will make it to the final round which takes place at the National Harbor, where the students will be nationally recognized.
“This is our first year and making it just to the third round is amazing,” McFarland said.
There are big prizes on the line for the winners of the final round.
“The first place team, last year, several of them won $15 thousand scholarships to MIT,” Morrissey said.
The students have been using their own laptop until now. However, since the cyber security team has been doing so well, it could get its own computer lab and cyber security class next year. “We had our first meeting to see who would be interested to participate in the next Cyberpatriot,” McFarland said. “50 students showed up.”
The team’s success is also thanks to the Northrop Grumman employees Ryan Walters and Myke Lefebure who have been coaching the students since the beginning of the tournament. Walters and Lefebure has also offered a personal house and computers to let the Statesmen practice.
“They are amazing. They have given us a lot of help. We would not be here without them,” Morrissey said.