Erik Breede of Phoebus High School receives the Virginia Cybersecurity Educator Award

 

Erik Breede, the cybersecurity teacher in the Academy of Cybersecurity, Engineering, and Robotics at Phoebus High School, has received the Virginia Cybersecurity Education Award.

 

The Virginia Cybersecurity Education Award is bestowed annually by organizers of the Virginia Cybersecurity Education Conference to recognize excellence in cybersecurity education. The announcement was made in July of 2021.

 

In announcing Breede’s receipt of the award, Peggy Brouse, director of cybersecurity engineering UG program at George Mason University said he has helped raise cybersecurity career awareness by exposing his students to professionals in the industry by the means of guest lectures, partnerships with cybersecurity instructors from local higher-ed institutes, and by offering field trips to the Thomas Nelson Community College Annual Regional Cybersecurity Conference.

 

“Mr. Breede goes beyond teaching technical skills and works to make connections to the social and ethical aspects of cybersecurity showing ‘both sides of the coin’, offense and defense,” said Brouse. “He uses the wealth of professional human resources and events in Hampton Roads to help students see themselves as professionals in the field of cybersecurity. Opportunities lead to interest and interest leads to success.”

 

“Mr. Breede has been the pillar of the cybersecurity education program at Phoebus High School,” said Seth Black, director of career and technical education for Hampton City Schools. “Nowhere is the workforce-skills gap more pronounced than in cybersecurity, and Mr. Breede's teaching helps our students bridge that gap and gives them a set of skills and technical knowledge to enter into a cybersecurity career with confidence. He is a very deserving recipient of the Virginia Cybersecurity Educator award, and we are proud he is a part of the HCS CTE team.”

 

Congratulations on this prestigious honor.