Successful First STEM Camp of 2025
The first ORION STEM class of 2025 provided an opportunity for local teens aged 12-15 to explore cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and penetration testing through guided instruction and hands-on activities.
The half-day STEM class was hosted February 19 at SUNY Polytechnic Institute with instruction by Quanterion Solutions Incorporated.
“Ethical Hacking: A Hands-On Introduction” introduced students to the history of hacking from its origins in the early telephone system to modern-day cybersecurity attacks. Teens quickly progressed to using cyber tools to gain hands-on experience in ethical hacking.
This educational opportunity was provided through Open-Architecture, Resilient loT for Operational Networks (ORION). ORION is a state-of-the-art ecosystem operated by subject matter experts to facilitate the test and evaluation of IoT capabilities. ORION is a collaborative initiative between the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate, Assured Information Security (AIS), Quanterion Solutions Incorporated, the Griffiss Institute, and the New York State Technology Enterprise Corporation (NYSTEC). SUNY Polytechnic Institute hosted and facilitated the class through the “SUNY Poly Spotlight Series.” Quanterion Solutions, a local technical solutions provider, developed the curriculum and provided instruction and mentorship.
Ruben Abreu, Software Engineer at Quanterion Solutions, led the curriculum development.
“Cyberattacks continue to reshape the threat landscape for companies of all sizes with ramifications including lost data, stolen and compromised identities, and costs exceeding millions of dollars for recovery,” said Abreu. “As the threat grows, the need for skilled ethical hackers also increases to enable organizations to turn their vulnerabilities into strengths. This course is a first step in understanding ethical hacking for youth interested in pursuing a range of high-paying careers in cybersecurity and software engineering.”
Cully Patch, Senior Program Manager at Quanterion Solutions, was one of the mentors guiding the students through ethical hacking exercises to apply what they learned.
“These students are the future of our workforce – a workforce that is rapidly changing to meet growing technology demands,” said Patch. “Quanterion Solutions is proud to be a part of shaping tomorrow’s generation of engineers, scientists, and solution developers, keeping the nation at the forefront of technological innovation by inspiring our youth to pursue careers in STEM.”
The next ORION STEM courses will be offered at the Griffiss Institute in Rome, NY.
Pi Day (Saturday, March 15)
High school students will assemble and customize a Raspberry Pi-based project, which will enable the teens to gain experience working with hardware, firmware, software, and cloud technologies to remotely control their light bulb for functionality. The teens will then have a little competition to see if they can turn off their neighbor’s technology to emphasize functionality as well as cybersecurity and resilience. Parents are invited to watch the concluding project!
Learn more about Pi Day and register for FREE. Hurry, the registration deadline is March 5!
Off in the Clouds (Saturday, April 12)
Teams of high school students will actively research, learn, communicate and convince mock companies (instructors) why their company should utilize cloud services. A rubric will guide the scoring to determine the winning team to take home the glory. Parents are invited to watch the competition!
Learn more about Off in the Clouds and register for FREE. Hurry, the registration deadline is March 28!
Free registration for both classes is available today! Sign your high school students up for one or both of these skills-building classes that will help prepare them for an increasingly technical workforce.