Vrain Valley incoming seniors attend cybersecurity mini-internships

St. Vrain Valley’s two-week, paid mini-internships bolster local cybersecurity. About 60 rising seniors participate in sessions at Silver Creek and Skyline high schools, with mornings devoted to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and afternoons spent conducting security audits for partner businesses. The program also includes field trips to the National Institute of Standards and Technology and to Metropolitan State University of Denver to broaden exposure. It culminates in a final presentation to parents, industry professionals, higher education representatives, and business owners. The district funds the effort with roughly $90,000, paying students $20 per hour and providing a certification and class credit. Participating partners include Longmont Florist, Up-A-Creek Robotics, Longmont Library, Circle Graphics, Habitat for Humanity, and the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County, offering hands-on audits such as the Longmont Florist project. The program ties to St. Vrain’s P-TECH pathways, pairing high schools with mentors and internships while enabling students to earn college credits at no cost. Most participants are in P-TECH cohorts at Silver Creek and Skyline, with others taking additional cybersecurity coursework at the district’s Innovation Center this summer. The final presentations will showcase students’ solutions to sponsors and supporters.