CyberCenturion is proud to have hosted the Bayside and Westside Schools since 2015 throughout the virtual rounds all the way to the National Finals five years running, thanks to the commitment of Head of Physics, Stewart Harrison (Bayside School), Headteacher Michael Tavares, and parent Lluis Mora. Gibraltar is increasingly recognised as a talent pool for cyber security. The Bayside School was recognised as the Cyber School of the Year in The National Cyber Awards 2020.
CyberCenturion highlights include the 2016 National Finals at Bletchley Park where Bayside School won the trophy, entering a record high of 40 students from Gibraltar in 2017, and leading the first ever all-girls team to the Finals in 2018 when the Tower of Homage in Gibraltar was lit with the Girls in Tech logo to celebrate.
Following five years of success including securing local sponsorship to help mentor competitors, Stewart Harrison went on to found the Gibraltar Digital Skills Foundation at the start of 2020 and The Bayside School will launch the first ever Gibraltar Cyber Challenge, Rock Defenders, in 2021. This competition will engage over 1000 comprehensive students and equip them with the tools and skills to go on to compete in the likes of CyberCenturion. Rock Defenders has gained significant interest from sponsors including E&Y, HM Government Gibraltar, GibTelecom and Royal Gibraltar Police, as well as global community for entrepreneurs, StartUp Grind Gibraltar, with plans to expand into more British Overseas Territories in future.
Stewart Harrison, Head of Physics at Bayside School, said: “Such expensive and large scale projects would not get any traction without a good track record. I owe it to every student who has been part of our journey that has allowed us to prosper and grow, reaching out to more and more youngsters who may have true talent and now have the chance to shine.
“CyberCenturion gets tougher every year so it is clear that Gibraltar is doing something very right. Our partnership with the private sector is key to our continued success.”