This is a guest post written by Jonah from New Jersey. He became a Scholar in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition by playing CyberStart America.

“Without CyberStart America, I'm sure I wouldn't have completed as many challenges in the competition.”

We caught up with Jonah to hear about his first experience competing in a CTF competition and how playing CyberStart helped him win a scholarship.

How would you describe your experience of the National Cyber Scholarship Competition?

I really enjoyed preparing for and participating in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition (NCSC). Playing CyberStart Game taught me interesting and useful techniques, and it was fun to put them to use while solving the puzzles of the competition.

How did you feel about becoming a Scholar in the Competition?

“Becoming a Scholar in something I did not have much prior experience of is just the icing on the cake!”

I am excited and very proud of my achievement. This was my first time participating in a Capture the Flag cybersecurity competition, so I was not expecting to become a Scholar.

I was happy to have the resources provided by CyberStart America to be able to learn about a topic in which I did not have much prior experience, and becoming a Scholar is just icing on the cake.

How did participating in CyberStart America help prepare you for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition?

CyberStart America helped me prepare by giving me fun challenges that taught me the skills necessary to participate in the competition. Without CyberStart Game, I'm sure I would not have completed as many challenges in the competition.

Before participating in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, were you considering a career in cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity was not nearly as much on my radar before the competition. This helped me learn much more about the topic.

Since participating in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition, are you now considering a career in cybersecurity?

I still do not know what I will end up doing for my career, so cybersecurity is not out of the question. However, I am also considering careers in mechanical engineering, computer science, and other STEM areas.

Do you have plans to continue your cybersecurity studies?

I will be attending Cornell University's College of Engineering in the fall. I do not know exactly what I will study yet, but I can definitely see myself taking cybersecurity classes in college!

Want to play for a scholarship like Jonah? Try CyberStart today to start your journey towards career success!