Freeport High School senior Dena Arrison has been named a Scholar in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, a 48-hour online competition sponsored by The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation. In recognition of her achievement, Arrison earned an invitation to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy – a multi-week online program based on the SANS Foundations training course and certification – valued at more than $3,000.  As a Scholar, Arrison has also earned a $2,500 college scholarship. She plans to attend Carnegie Mellon in fall 2021 to pursue a degree in Computer Science.

Arrison competed against 5,000 high school students in a cybersecurity competition designed to challenge its participants to solve computer security problems and/or capture and defend computer systems. In total, 50,000 students nationwide sought to qualify for the foundation with just 10% meeting the requirements.

“I am very proud to be named a Scholar in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition,” said Arrison. “The competition was steep and the puzzles and challenges were really difficult. I am thrilled to be invited to the Cyber Foundations Academy to continue my cybersecurity education.”

“The National Cyber Scholarship Competition recognizes high school students who have demonstrated exceptional cybersecurity prowess and who wish to pursue a career in a growing field in critical need of their talent,” National Cyber Scholarship Foundation Executive Director David Brown said. “The (foundation’s) mission is to identify and develop the next generation of cyber professionals. Each and every student who participated in this competition has the potential to develop their skills and build a successful career in cybersecurity.”

There are several qualification pathways for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition including CyberStart America, a free online program that helps students discover their interest in cybersecurity and develop their talent and skills. The foundation offers 600 college scholarships to top-ranking competitors. Additionally, National Cyber Scholars, along with competition 1,000 finalists, are invited to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy.