Cybersecurity to be new domain for Mineola High School students

Mineola High School is aiming to give students a head start in the tech industry by rolling out cybersecurity electives in September that will provide knowledge and real-world experience they can use after graduation.

School officials said adding a program in cybersecurity was the logical next step, as the district already offers computer science, artificial intelligence and robotics courses.

“We’re constantly looking for more opportunities, so this seemed like a natural fit to us,” High School Principal Nicole Culella told Newsday.

School officials also want to give students the skills to enter a growing industry. Cybersecurity experts currently are in demand, with more than 700,000 open roles in the industry nationwide as of August, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Careers as information security analysts are expected to grow 35% by 2031, U.S. labor projections show.

A cybersecurity 1 course, which will teach the foundation of cybersecurity, will roll out in the fall. Two more advanced courses will follow within the next year, Mineola school officials said.

A cybersecurity 2 course will allow students to work to earn a certification that organizations use to validate baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions, allowing candidates to pursue an IT security career.

Courses in the new school program, which students will be able to choose as electives, also will include internship opportunities in the field.

Mineola student Devin Steiner, 15, who has a background in robotics and computer science, said he's excited to take the new cybersecurity course in the fall. 

“I really think cybersecurity is important because I’ve done my fair share of research about scams and hacks and I really like helping people,” the freshman told Newsday. “I really have had such a passion for coding, computer science and I want to really connect it with helping others."

Steiner has done volunteer work helping senior citizens with technological problems such as resetting passwords, connecting with medical providers and enhancing security on their devices.

His classmates Julia Manevitz, 15, and Matthew Chen, 14, also said they're interested in the upcoming electives.

Manevitz, a sophomore, takes computer science courses, including one through Long Island University. She said she is looking at summer programs and colleges that offer coding.

The sophomore also said she is excited to learn about cybersecurity and see the real-world application of computer science.

"I believe with the cybersecurity knowledge it can really help me with my future,” Manevitz  said.

Chen said he’s excited the cybersecurity program could translate into an internship opportunity.

The high school has set up a panel of cybersecurity professionals, from business owners to government officials, who will help advise and mentor students and possibly provide internships as part of the program. That panel met March 15 to discuss the program and cybersecurity opportunities.

“I don’t believe there is any area of study that you can go into or career that you can enter where cybersecurity will not be an important part of the organization that you join,” said panelist William Moylan, a detective investigator with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.