-
Governor Kay Ivey officially opened the new Alabama School of Cyber Engineering and Technology in Huntsville today, calling it “a testament to our (state) commitment to innovation in every way.”
Ivey said the school, built through a “collaborative effort over many years”, shows the world “what we are made of and ready for what is yet to come.” It is the only high school in the US, she said, recalling that it is “unique” that “focuses on integrating networking and engineering into the disciplines.”
Visitors tour the new Alabama School of Network Engineering and Technology in Huntsville, Alabama on its official opening day, September 23, 2022. It is the nation’s first network engineering and control school.
The school is Alabama’s newest charter school on a 26-acre campus in Cummings Research Park and is functionally similar to the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham and the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile. The online school currently has 254 students: 151 working students and 103 boarding students. The school says 38% are women and 38% are minority students and all are free from 61 cities and towns in Alabama.
Massey said the school wants to model what’s possible in new academic areas like cybersecurity. “Our students learn not only in these classes, but also outside of hands-on and internship opportunities.”
“Our mission is to ensure that all of our students achieve a high level of learning, regardless of their background or background,” said school president Matthew Massey.
“We’ve been dreaming about it for four years and here we are,” said cyber school board member Dr Claudette Owens. “Where else will we be in Huntsville, Alabama to showcase another premiere?”
“Because of you, this country will remain a safe country,” Owens said, “where we will make sure that in the new space in which we find ourselves in cyber and cyberspace, we also will be safe.”
Brett Pagle, chief technical officer of technology company Raytheon Codex in Huntsville — Codex stands for cybercrime and defense expert — was among the industry leaders at the opening. “I think that’s amazing,” Pagle said. “I’ve had the opportunity to interact with students through Raytheon’s involvement, and with every interaction I’ve had, I feel encouraged by the future of what we do in cyberspace. All They are all very intelligent, active and eager to learn.