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Cyber Florida’s CyberLaunch 2026 brought together students, educators, and industry leaders from across the state for a dynamic, hands-on cybersecurity competition, and this year’s event delivered on every level.

The event opened with welcome remarks from Kevin O’Farrell, Senior Chancellor at the Florida Department of Education, who underscored the importance of building a strong cybersecurity talent pipeline in Florida. From there, the competition, powered by Cyber Florida’s ARCS team in partnership with SimSpace, challenged students to apply their skills in real-world cyber scenarios.

Beyond the competition floor, educators were treated to a dedicated “Cyber Café,” complete with meals, networking opportunities, professional development sessions, giveaways, and a campus tour highlighting academic programs, student life, and USF’s eSports Lab. These experiences created space for teachers to connect, learn, and bring new ideas back to their classrooms.

A major highlight included an announcement from Dr. Sudeep Sarkar of Bellini College introducing the new Cyber/AI Scholars Program, further strengthening Florida’s pathway from education to career. The event also featured a Signing Day celebration, recognizing graduating seniors as they take the next step into higher education.

Cyber Florida proudly recognized the following outstanding educators:

• Trailblazer Award: John Kux, West Boca Raton Community High School
• Veteran Cybersecurity Teacher Award: Scott Tumelty, Wendell Krinn Technical High School
• New Cybersecurity Teacher Award: Michael Marchesano, Angeline Academy of Innovation

The day concluded with an inspiring keynote from Caitlin Sarian, also known as “Cybersecurity Girl,” who encouraged students to pursue their passions in cybersecurity.

A special thank you goes to ThreatLocker, our lead sponsor, whose support helped make CyberLaunch 2026 possible. We were especially pleased to have Collin Ellis, Senior Solutions Engineer at ThreatLocker, join us on stage to help present trophies, prizes, and ThreatLocker T-shirts to the winning teams, an exciting moment that capped off the competition and celebrated students’ hard work and achievements.

Congratulations to this year’s student competition winners:

Advanced Level
1st: Hernando High School (Hernando County)
2nd: Countryside High School (Pinellas County)
3rd: Hialeah Gardens High School (Miami-Dade County)

Intermediate Level
1st: West Boca Raton Community High School (Palm Beach County)
2nd: Middleton High School (Hillsborough County)
3rd: Wendell Krinn Technical High School (Pasco County)

Beginner Level
1st: Kirkland Ranch Academy (Pasco County)
2nd: Kirkland Ranch Academy (Pasco County)
3rd: iPrep Academy North (Miami-Dade County)

The impact of CyberLaunch 2026 is perhaps best reflected in the words of those who experienced it firsthand. One teacher shared, “My students absolutely loved it. I can’t say enough good things about it.” Educators also highlighted the importance of logistical support like transportation and lodging, which made participation possible for many schools.

From first-time participants to returning teams, the feedback was clear: CyberLaunch continues to provide an unforgettable, meaningful experience that inspires the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Cyber Florida extends its sincere thanks to every student, teacher, partner, and volunteer who made CyberLaunch 2026 a success!

Photos from the CyberHerd documentary premiere at USF on September 24, 2025

Watch the CyberHerd documentary on the Cyber Florida YouTube channel!

The ReX-Files: The Episode where Rex talks about producing the CyberHerd documentary

More than a competition story, The Making of a Defender shows how solving the nation’s cybersecurity challenges is becoming a pillar of the Tampa Bay community and beyond. As CyberBay grows, this story becomes one of its cornerstones.

In anyone’s professional career, there are only a handful of opportunities to truly elevate people in a lasting way. I’m not talking about the small but powerful kindnesses we practice daily—thank you, Mister Rogers, for teaching us that. I mean something bigger, something rare, where the timing, circumstances, and people all align. Last year, I was given that kind of opportunity.

Just over a year ago, I noticed that the USF CyberHerd (Ya Herd!—they know what I mean) was quietly making big waves in cybersecurity competitions. Despite sharing a home with them at USF, I hadn’t followed them closely. If anything, I was more familiar with their long-dominant Orlando rivals, Hack UCF. But as I dug in, I discovered that the CyberHerd wasn’t just competing with them—they were winning.

That’s when I thought, “Maybe there’s a story here.”

I pitched the idea to my supervisor, Kate Whitaker, and our director, Ernie Ferraresso. They believed in it, brought it to leadership, and just like that, we were greenlit.

With the talented team at Two Stories Media, I began documenting the CyberHerd’s journey for a full year—competitions, practices (so much practice), and everything in between. Anyone who has ever made a documentary knows: you don’t get to script the ending. Sometimes you land the perfect Cinderella moment, other times the pumpkin explodes and lands on your head. This story had a little of both.

What I didn’t expect, though, was how much I would learn along the way. I began to see these students not just as competitors but as something closer to elite athletes—driven, resilient, and focused. Sitting front-row, I realized my job wasn’t just to record their journey; it was to elevate it. To make sure their hard work, sacrifice, and brilliance weren’t lost in the shuffle but instead woven into USF history and the broader CyberBay movement.

The story of the 2024–25 CyberHerd now lives beyond me. It’s captured, told, and preserved as part of something much larger than any one of us. To Waseem, Jacob, Jack, Michelle, Coach Marbin, Sriram, and the rest of the CyberHerd family—thank you for letting me in.

Am I proud of this project? Strangely, no. Pride isn’t the word. What I feel instead is something deeper: gratitude. Gratitude for the chance to help tell your story. Gratitude for the friendships formed. And gratitude for the knowledge that this story will outlast us all.

Your friend in cyber competitions,

Rex Wilson

P.S. – Thank you to our friends at USF Communications and Marketing for publishing this excellent article about the CyberHerd documentary.

Virtual currencies are playing an ever-growing role in criminal activity—and investigators need the right tools to keep up. NW3C’s CI240 Intermediate Cyber Investigations: Virtual Currency equips professionals with the knowledge and hands-on experience to investigate crimes involving digital assets.

This immersive course explores:

• Virtual currency basics
• Blockchain technology
• Leading cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin®, Ethereum®, Monero)
• Stablecoins, DeFi, and NFTs
• Investigative techniques for tracking, documenting, seizing, and securing cryptocurrency

Participants also practice real-world skills through exercises like opening a Bitcoin wallet, tracing transactions on the blockchain, and identifying services with free/open-source tools.

Why it matters:
Graduates report immediate impact in their work. One investigator tracked fraudulently received funds across the blockchain using only the skills gained in this course. Another has since frozen millions in virtual currency assets and worked closely with NW3C trainers for expert guidance.

Course Details:

• 1.0 point toward 3CE and 3CI certifications
• 100% participation required, including an 80%+ post-test score and all in-class exercises
• Closed captioning available, plus live speech-to-text translation in 100+ languages

Who can attend:
This training is offered at no cost to U.S. state, local, tribal, and territorial criminal justice agencies through U.S. Department of Justice funding. Criminal justice and regulatory professionals worldwide are also welcome through other funding sources.

🔗 Register now: NW3C: Class Details