Quick look: Troy High School’s cybersecurity team placed second overall and first in the Cisco Networking Academy Challenge at the CyberPatriot 18 National Finals in Maryland. Competing against more than 1,300 teams nationwide, the students demonstrated advanced skills in network security and cyber defense.
A team of students from Troy High School in Fullerton earned national recognition this month, placing second overall and first in the Cisco Networking Academy Challenge at the CyberPatriot 18 National Finals Competition.
The event, held March 21–23 in Rockville, Maryland, brought together top teams from across the country to compete in one of the nation’s premier youth cybersecurity competitions.
Troy’s squad — competing under the name Runtime Terror and representing the school’s NJROTC program — finished second overall in the All-Service Division out of 1,342 teams. They secured first place in the Cisco challenge, which recognizes excellence in managing and securing network infrastructure.
Team captain Joshua Kim said the group’s success reflected a shared commitment to the work.
“Each team member put forth their best effort, and we are extremely happy with the results we achieved,” he said.
Fixing security vulnerabilities
Created by the Air & Space Forces Association, CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program designed to inspire K–12 students to pursue careers in cybersecurity and related fields.
During the competition, students took on the role of system administrators in a high-pressure, real-world simulation. Teams were tasked with identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities across multiple operating systems, maintaining critical services and responding to evolving challenges — all while defending against live cyberattacks from a professional “red team.”
Finalists also competed in the Cisco Networking Academy Challenge, a hands-on exercise that required students to troubleshoot network security systems, complete a technical quiz and physically build network cables while solving complex problems.
Amplifying student interests
Troy High School is in the Fullerton Joint Union High School District. It’s team included Joshua Kim, an 11th-grade student and team captain; Yuxuan (Charlie) He, 12th grade; Allen Hsieh, 12th grade; Hogan Kim, 10th grade; Tsz (Steven) Liang, 10th grade; and Elvina Liou, 12th grade.
“I’m incredibly proud of the students’ achievements this year,” said Troy coach John-Michael Linares. “Intense practices, countless hours of research and great team dynamics all played equal parts in their incredible results.”
“They’re also supported by a great team of Troy teachers and industry mentors,” he said. “It’s competitions like CyberPatriot, and after‑school programs like Troy Cyber, that augment and amplify students’ interest in STEM fields and prepare them for college and beyond.”
Troy High has a long history of success in CyberPatriot, competing since 2010. The school has won five national championships and five Cisco challenge titles, including this year’s first-place finish.