Simeon Kakpovi is the President of the KC7 Foundation and Vee Pryor, Special Programs Manager in the Office of Innovation for Fayette County Public Schools.

Given the prevalence of digital risks in the modern world, aspiring cybersecurity professionals must receive the best training possible. This past June, KC7 partnered with the Fayette County Public Schools Office of Innovation to host its second cybersecurity summer camp this past June. This camp is revolutionizing cybersecurity education by using immersive role-playing and hands-on exercises to teach elementary students, making cybersecurity education more accessible and inclusive to the next generation of professionals.
KC7’s philosophy emphasizes that the heart of cybersecurity education isn’t just about technical knowledge. It’s about fostering critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills, which is also at the heart of what they do for students at the FCPS Office of Innovation. By creating an engaging, game-like experience with project-based learning, the camp keeps students involved and excited about learning.
To begin their cybersecurity education students investigated a fictitious museum heist. They gained critical and analytical thinking abilities that they eventually applied to more difficult cybersecurity tasks by learning how to put together clues and ask the proper questions. They learned in a helpful environment by using tabular data and color-coded cards to teach them Kusto Query Language (KQL). These challenging ideas were made simpler to understand by using interactive experiences to teach abstract concepts.
The camp’s curriculum included role-playing scenarios where students took on real-world job roles, helping them develop both technical and soft skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. One highlight was a capstone activity that simulated a ransomware attack on a hospital. Students wrote about databases, analyzed open-source intelligence, managed business activities, and presented their findings to a panel of judges. The results were impressive. Students didn’t just understand the concepts, they could also apply them in real-world scenarios.
This hands-on approach underscores a broader principle: the vital role of American innovation in keeping the Internet open and accessible. KC7 is a shining example of how early critical thinking can contribute to this mission. Investing in our youth is an investment in America’s continued leadership in ensuring a secure internet for everyone.
KC7’s mission is to empower the next generation to thrive in tomorrow’s diverse cybersecurity workforce. By offering accessible, hands-on training and workshops at no cost to underserved communities, KC7 is not just teaching cybersecurity; they are creating a new generation of informed, capable, and enthusiastic professionals ready to face the digital challenges ahead.
While we had 180 applicants and only 50 spots, we hope to expand this initiative in the future. The excitement and engagement seen for KC7 camps highlight the incredible potential within our youth from all backgrounds and the future of cybersecurity.
Through our partnership, KC7 and FCPS Office of Innovation are working to lay the groundwork for a time when the internet world will be dominated by creativity, variation, and freedom of expression. We are looking ahead for this next generation as American inventiveness continues to lead the way towards creating a safer, more open, and more inclusive internet for everyone.
Vee Pryor is the Special Programs Manager in the Office of Innovation for Fayette County Public Schools. Simeon Kakpovi is the President of the KC7 Foundation, whose mission is to equip everyone with the skills to succeed in tomorrow’s diverse cybersecurity workforce by creating fun, engaging, and accessible learning experiences to an underrepresented communities.