Rocky Point Middle School students have been practicing and applying
cybersecurity knowledge and skills learned as part of a National Science
Foundation grant for middle schoolers. Teacher Ms. Dorothy Burns
developed a cybersecurity module in which students in her seventh grade
Information Technology Literacy course work to encrypt and decrypt
messages. They used Caesar ciphers to gain a deeper understanding of
encryption. This type of cipher substitution forms the foundation of
more complex encryption methods. Students have also used websites and
online resources to explore and test password security and investigate
the frequency of global cybersecurity attacks. “These learning
experiences have provided insight into how computer encryption relates
to malware, ransomware and various other cybersecurity threats,” the
district’s director of math, science and technology, Mr. Aaron Factor,
said. “Students are looking forward to continuing to build on these
activities to develop additional 21st-century skills.”