CYBERSECURITY AND AI
EXTERNSHIP

April 1-4, 2025
Moreno Valley Unified School District

Moreno Valley Unified School District's Cyber Innovation Center transformed how high school students experienced cybersecurity and artificial intelligence education. The Advanced Cybersecurity/AI Externship held during Spring Break 2025 provided MVUSD juniors and seniors hands-on experience using cutting-edge security techniques, professional-grade tools, and real-world scenarios guided by industry experts.

Program Highlights

This intensive four-day immersion thrust students into the world of modern cybersecurity
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Simulation of the Carbanak APT

Students analyzed techniques used in the $1 billion banking heist that shocked the cybersecurity world.

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Healthcare CISO challenge

Students stepped into executive roles to protect critical patient data from sophisticated threats.

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AI-powered security tools exploration

Participants leveraged AI for both offensive and defensive security operations.

CTF
Flash Cyber CTF competition

A high-pressure security challenge that mirrored industry competitions and built college-ready skills.

Student Survey Results

Read what our students thought about the program!

View The Full Survey Results
4.9/5

Quality of the program

4.9/5

Work ED Staff Quality

4.8/5

Industry Partners

Program Special Guests

Lamar Carson

2nd Lt. LaMar Carson

A Cyberspace Operations Officer with the California Air National Guard who shared 8 years of cybersecurity experience across civilian and military contexts

Griselda Guzman

Provided authentic "Day in the Life" insights about cybersecurity and IT careers

Emiliano Jimenez

A rising talent in Malware Analysis and Reverse Engineering who brought competition experience from prestigious events like NCL and Mayors Cup

Badges

cyber

Coding with AI

AI Externship

AI Discovery

Generative AI Badge

Generative AI

Chatbot Badge

AI Hackathon

Coding with AI Badge

Advanced Cyber

mvp

Externship MVP

credential

Credential Harvesting

Hear From Our Lead Instructor

“What an amazing journey this program has been! Working with such passionate and talented students was a true highlight. Their teamwork, problem-solving, and willingness to lift each other up made every session special. Huge thanks to our incredible guest speakers for bringing real-world wisdom to the table — they made this experience unforgettable!”

Ben Crenshaw - Linkedin
Ben Crenshaw Image
Distinguished Visitors

The program attracted attention beyond our district. Representatives from the Ministry of Education of the Bahamas and MVUSD industry partner Extron observed this innovative educational model in action.

Bahamas

OUTCOMES & IMPACT

  • Gained experience with professional cybersecurity tools used in enterprise environments
  • Developed mentor relationships with industry professionals
  • Built teamwork skills through collaborative security challenges
  • Earned credentials recognized in the high-demand cybersecurity field

This externship positioned MVUSD at the forefront of career-ready education in the rapidly expanding fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence—fields projected to have millions of unfilled positions in the coming years.

The Work ED Advanced Cybersecurity/AI Externship wasn't just another enrichment activity—it was a strategic investment in developing the technical leaders of tomorrow that delivered measurable results for participating students.

Work ED - April 2025