Camp participants celebrate Graduation Day on Friday of the camp in front of the O’Neil Cybersecurity Center 
Councilwoman Yolanda Avila speaking to the campers 
Attendees enjoying the Family Graduation ceremony 
Keynote Speaker and alumnus Steve Cruz sharing his cyber experience 
A middle schooler having fun at the camp
In the first event of its kind in Colorado, the UCCS Cybersecurity Programs Office (CPO) and the UCCS Pre-Collegiate Office sponsored a weeklong cybersecurity camp conducted completely in Spanish for local Spanish-speaking middle school students.
Hosted at the Kevin W. O’Neil Cybersecurity Center, the camp took place in late July and was designed to introduce Spanish-speaking middle school students to the fundamentals of cybersecurity.
The camp consisted of a blend of classroom learning, online resources and hands-on activities, including material useable both during and after the camp, to extend the learning experience for campers beyond the classroom. A variety of dedicated community partners and resources were instrumental in establishing the camp and making it a success.
“We are thankful to our community-wide planning committee, sponsors and several Spanish-speaking staff and students for making this happen, including the National Cybersecurity Center (NCC), Carrie McKee of Rocky Mountain Public Media and our sponsors: El Pomar Foundation, World Affairs Council, Lockheed Martin, Cengage, Jacobs Engineering, Tanium, C Mission, CSD Cyber and Silverback Consulting. This camp, in particular, was a community-wide effort, as it is the first of its kind. UCCS simply could not do it without these amazing partners!” said Gretchen Bliss, Director of UCCS Cybersecurity Programs Office.
The weeklong camp emphasized family participation and included students’ family members throughout, with a graduation ceremony on the last day to cap off a week full of activities. The ceremony was also a fully Spanish-speaking event and featured speakers sharing their own experiences, such as Steve Cruz, a UCCS cybersecurity alumnus who earned his Ph.D. in cybersecurity and is now doing post-doctoral work at Notre Dame University. Community members Longinos Gonzales, El Paso County Commissioner, and Yolanda Avila, a Colorado Springs councilwoman from District 4, spoke as well, and Provost Lynn Vidler, Ph.D., joined the camp at the week’s beginning to welcome the students in Spanish.
“We also want to thank the Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation, as main sponsor of the National Science Foundation RISE Grant, for assisting in funding the camp at UCCS, and also in helping UCCS extend a second ‘sister’ camp to Pueblo. The funding from the RISE grant allowed us to share our curriculum, planning and resources with Ralf Schwoerer of Silverback Consulting in Pueblo, who held an all-Spanish camp the week after the UCCS camp at Water Tower Place for the Pueblo Spanish-speaking community that was also well attended,” Bliss said.
With the success and community interest that this cybersecurity camp (and the others held over the summer) generated, UCCS is planning to host several other Spanish-speaking cyber events in 2025. To learn more about these K-12 educational opportunities, email [email protected] or visit their event page.
About Cybersecurity at UCCS
UCCS is a recognized cybersecurity education leader in the region, awarding hundreds of degrees each year in cybersecurity fields at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. UCCS cybersecurity programs train security professionals who work to ensure the nation’s security, support faculty research and strategic cybersecurity partnerships with industry, government, military and academic institutions, including the U.S. Space Force and the National Cybersecurity Center. Due to generous Colorado state funding of cybersecurity education, UCCS students are eligible for significant financial aid towards security degree scholarships. Learn more about Cybersecurity Programs at UCCS.