PEORIA, Ill - We are excited to be bringing STEM Academy back live and in person this year, through the collaboration of Pearl Technology, Richwood Township, Caterpillar, and University of Illinois Extension. The theme is Capture the Flag, which may make you think of the physical game of running to the middle of the field to grab the other team’s flag, but this Capture the Flag experience will be completely different.
This year’s STEM Academy will educate students about cybersecurity. Students will learn how hackers get into systems and how to defend against attacks. They will also learn how to avoid danger in social media and phishing campaigns, as well as use tools like password managers and multifactor authentication. The academy will culminate with a CTF (capture the flag) cyber competition where students will apply what they have learned during the academy to solve problems, “capture” the flag from their opponents, and earn points.
STEM Academy this year will be June 13-17, from 9 a.m. – Noon at Goodwill Commons, 2319 E War Memorial Dr, Peoria, IL 61614. Registration deadline is June 1, but spaces fill fast, so be sure to sign up soon! STEM Academy is open to youth entering 6th-8th grades.
Interested youth can learn more go.illinois.edu/STEMacademy. For more information about 4-H, in addition to other youth and adult programs offered through University of Illinois Extension, Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit, visit our website at extension.illinois.edu/fmpt.
About University of Illinois Extension: University of Illinois Extension is the flagship outreach effort of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, offering educational programs to residents of all of Illinois' 102 counties — and far beyond. Extension provides practical education you can trust to help people, businesses, and communities solve problems, develop skills, and build a better future. U of I Extension offers educational programs in five broad areas: energy and environmental stewardship, food safety and security, economic development and workforce preparedness, family health, financial security, and wellness, and youth development.
About 4-H: Illinois 4-H strives to help youth learn skills for living. University of Illinois Extension provides 4-H programs in every county in Illinois. Illinois 4-H aims to impact the lives of 200,000 youth each year through sustained learning clubs and groups and short-term programming.
Contact: Judy Schmidt – 4-H Youth Development Educator, Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit, schmid7@illinois.edu | 309-685-3140