LEXINGTON, Ky. — Nearly four dozen middle school students recently completed a five-day cybersecurity summer camp designed to introduce them to one of the fastest-growing career fields in the nation, according to Fayette County Public Schools.

The KC7 Cybersecurity Summer Camp, hosted by The Hub for Innovative Learning & Leadership, was a collaborative effort among the KC7 Foundation, The HILL, the Fayette Education Foundation, Partners for Youth, and the FCPS Office of Innovation. During the camp, students investigated a realistic cyber incident, analyzed digital evidence, identified potential threats, and presented their findings to evaluators.

"This camp helps students see themselves as problem-solvers while introducing them to one of the fastest-growing career fields in the world," said Bryan Quillen, cybersecurity instructor at The HILL. Students who completed the program developed skills in critical thinking, communication, data analysis, digital forensics, and open-source intelligence.

The KC7 Cybersecurity Camp began in 2023 as a collaboration between cybersecurity professionals and Fayette County Public Schools. The program was specifically designed for underserved and at-risk youth in Title I schools, with no prior experience in cybersecurity, coding, or computer science required to participate.

The camp fits within Lexington's broader efforts to expand STEM opportunities. The Fayette Education Foundation supports innovative, hands-on STEM programming that aligns with emerging career fields, while The HILL opened in August 2025 as a state-of-the-art technical education center in downtown Lexington serving more than 1,000 students.