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Impact Summary of the
2025 NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference
Thank you to those who contributed to and attended the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference this week in Nashville, Tennessee. This year’s conference Highlights include:
- Nearly 400 participants representing government, academia, and industry from around the globe
- 10 pre-conference workshops
- 32 breakout sessions in 4 tracks
- 22 exhibitors
- Several keynotes, networking opportunities, and more
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Over 70 speakers shared ideas, insights, and perspectives during the conference, including:
- Davina Pruitt-Mentle, NIST
- Chelle Travis, SkillsUSA
- Kristin Darby, Tennessee Office of Finance and Administration
- Andrew Laman, SANS
- Closing General Session Panel: Tricia Blum, AI Governance Group; Robin Burns, Calvert Career and Technology Academy (MD); Robert Honomichl, University of Arizona; Thomas Trevethan, Palo Alto Networks Cybersecurity Academy; Ben Crenshaw, Work ED (Moderator)
NATIONAL CYBER SIGNING DAY
National Cyber Signing Day aims to increase awareness of cybersecurity career options and pathways available to K-12th grade students. The event this year showcased eight K12 students and recent graduates who have participated in or will soon be participating in cybersecurity-related internships, apprenticeships, trainings, and certifications.
A recording of this year’s National Cyber Signing Day will be made available on the official Signing Day website. Learn more and access recordings of previous Signing Days at nationalcybersigningday.org.
FEATURED PANELS
The conference featured three engaging panels focused on expanding access, awareness, and pathways in cybersecurity education for K12 students. Strengthening the Cybersecurity Talent Pipeline: Counselors as Connectors highlighted the critical role school counselors play in introducing students to a wide range of post-secondary opportunities, including careers in cybersecurity and other STEM-related fields. Panelists shared innovative approaches for increasing student awareness and familiarity with these emerging career paths.
A Student Panel offered firsthand perspectives from high school students navigating cybersecurity pathways. Panelists discussed how they first became aware of cybersecurity, their current interests, perceived opportunities and barriers within the field, and shared advice for educators on how best to broaden awareness and engagement among K12 students.
The conference also featured a Fireside Chat, How Cyber Competitions Motivate and Empower Students, bringing together experienced educators and competition organizers. The discussion emphasized the impact of gamified learning through cybersecurity competitions in making complex concepts more approachable, fostering problem-solving skills, and creating real-world connections, while providing practical insights and resources for incorporating competitions into school learning environments.
HANDS-ON LOCK PICKING VILLAGE
For the second year in a row, students from Spotsylvania High School brought back the Hands-on Lock Picking Village at the NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference, inviting students and educators to explore the art of lock picking as a way to better understand physical security fundamentals.
The NICE K12 Cybersecurity Education Conference is supported by NICE, a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce, under financial assistance award #70NANB20H144.