PRESS RELEASE

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Team Doolittle from Clearfield High School, Clearfield, Utah, won the CyberPatriot IIChampionships, the nation's largest high school cyber defense competition, staged in conjunction with the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

The winning team narrowly defeated Team Curry, Burlington, North Carolina, while Team Cochran, Torrance, California, took Third Place in the exciting cyber security wargame against a live Red Team opponent of computer experts using a complex, seven-operating-system virtual network made possible by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC).

"This was a great learning opportunity, and a just lot of fun for the teams," said Kit Workman, coach of the winning team from Clearfield. "They worked hard, and it was exciting to see them rapidly gain skills. They are definitely more interested in the cyber security career field as a result of CyberPatriot II."

"I enthusiastically recommend to high school teams all across the country that they participate next year," said Todd Lavinder, coach of the Second Place Team Curry. "Regardless of how far they advance, the team will learn through participating and get some real insight into an important career path."

"We greatly appreciate our founding partners CIAS and SAIC, and our strategic partners General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Microsoft and others for supporting this superb educational opportunity," said S. Sanford Schlitt, Vice Chairman of the Board for Aerospace Education. "Their contribution of technology, advice and supporting funds helped AFA bring this competition to thousands of teens in our first year of making this extraordinary competition truly nationwide. It was a tremendous success, and we are already planning to expand CyberPatriot III next year."

During the visit, each of the eight five-person teams had the opportunity to meet General Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and General C. Robert Kehler, Commander, Air Force Space Command. The top three teams received a total of $25,000 in scholarships ($3,000 each to members of the winning team) through the generosity of SAIC, and Clearfield's Team Doolittle also earned a trip this spring to San Antonio, Texas, to observe the Collegiate National Cyber Defense Competition. General Steven Lorenz, Commander, Air Education and Training Command, and Dr. Amy Alving, Chief Technology Officer of SAIC, presided at the Awards Ceremony.

CyberPatriot II began with a one-of-a-kind simultaneous opening round Nov. 7 with nearly 200 high schools from 41 states and Japan competing over the Internet using specialized Microsoft software. Over two more weekends of competition, that group was narrowed to 36 teams for the Medalist Flight competition on Nov. 21, out of which emerged these final eight teams for the trip to Orlando:

-- CAP Willie Comp Sq 304, Mesa, AZ -- CAP Beach Cities Cadet Squadron 107, Torrance, CA (Top Scorer) -- AFJROTC FL-952 F.W. Springstead HS, Spring Hill, FL -- CAP Burlington Comp Squadron, Burlington, NC -- CAP Seacoast Composite Squadron, Portsmouth, NH -- AFJROTC NY-095 Newburgh Free Academy, Newburgh, NY -- AFJROTC NY-20031 Rome Free Academy, Rome, NY -- AFJROTC UT-081 Clearfield HS, Clearfield, UT

The eight teams enjoyed an all-expenses-paid trip to Orlando for the competition at the Rosen Shingle Creek Convention Center, in conjunction with AFA's Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition, showcasing the latest in aerospace initiatives.

"As a career field, cyber defense is essential to our nation's prosperity and national security," Schlitt said. "One of our primary missions at AFA is promoting education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and we're so proud to spearhead this exciting educational program."

The AFA is a 501(C)(3), nonprofit organization promoting public understanding of aerospace power and the pivotal role it plays in the security of the nation. AFA has over 200 chapters nationally and internationally representing 120,000 members. Visit AFAwww.AFA.org.