VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — At Vail Unified School District, there's a club on campus where the students are learning about cyber security and coding called Cyber Innovators. And for eighth grader Tyler Lomax, there's nothing he'd rather do in the mornings a couple days a week.
"I figured cyber security would be good so that any websites that I build, I can protect them better," he said.
The students work to sharpen their skills for coding and cyber security, preparing for the national competition CyberPatriot.
"We run simulations where we have to secure some company's computers," Lomax said. "We made it to the semi finals this year."
Lizzy Barrett is a freshman in high school and she joined the club when she was in eighth grade.
"I've always wanted to learn how to do this and that on a computer in this age of ever changing technology," she said.
She said it's not only a way to learn about computers but it's also a way to create community.
"It's been a great teaching experiencing and it's also help me make friends with my peers," she said. "I made one of my best friends that i've had in a while."
The site technology coordinator for Vail Unified School District Melissa Matias said students have access to a lot of information, which means they need to learn about how to stay safe online.
"They have all this access to information already so the best thing to do is teach them how to use it in an ethical way," she said.
She hopes to start Cyber Innovators clubs across more campuses in VUSD.
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