More than 600 students from 24 high schools representing multiple Virginia school divisions gathered at George Mason University on March 10 for CyberSlam 2026, a dynamic, hands-on cybersecurity experience designed to prepare students for the evolving digital landscape.
Hosted by Loudoun County Public Schools in partnership with George Mason University, CyberSlam has grown into one of the region’s premier student cybersecurity events. Students traveled from across the Commonwealth, including Fairfax County, Newport News and Spotsylvania, to explore real-world cyber challenges and connect with professionals across government, industry and nonprofit sectors.
Throughout the day, students participated in a range of interactive workshops designed to meet learners at every level of experience. Sessions explored topics including artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, operational technology security, digital forensics, open-source intelligence investigations and network traffic analysis using industry tools like Wireshark. Students also learned how to build their own cybersecurity home labs and examined how automation and robotics intersect with cyber defense.
In addition to workshops, students visited exhibitor tables and connected with cybersecurity professionals, gaining insight into career pathways and the skills needed to succeed in this rapidly growing field.
Now in its fifth year, CyberSlam reflects the growing collaboration between education, higher education and industry partners working together to strengthen Virginia’s cybersecurity workforce pipeline.
CyberSlam 2026 was made possible through the support of Loudoun County Public Schools and George Mason University, along with sponsors Commonwealth Cyber Initiative's Northern Virginia Node, Virginia Cyber Range, Claroty, GT Edge AI, Vertex11, CodeHS and Widelity.
For more information on CyberSlam and how students can get involved in future events, visit our CyberSlam web page.