Our incredible CyberFirst Year 8 Girls team took part in the prestigious Champion of Champions event. This remarkable day took place at the ICC and Celtic Manor in Newport, bringing together the brightest young minds in cybersecurity for an exhilarating competition and an inspiring showcase of industry leaders.
The event, a collaboration between CyberFirst Wales and “About Women in Cyber,” highlighted the crucial need for greater female representation in the cyber industry—a sector that thrives on diversity and innovation. Since its founding in 2018, “About Women in Cyber” has been dedicated to addressing the visible lack of women in cybersecurity, and it was truly inspiring to witness our young learners stepping up to shape the future of this dynamic field.
Having already placed third in Wales during the November challenge, the team took on nine other top-performing schools in a high-stakes, three-hour hack and decrypt-athon.
The competition was not without its challenges. A shaky start due to setup issues delayed our team for the first 15 minutes, but once logged in, they were unstoppable. With razor-sharp focus, they tackled decryption challenges, decomposed complex problems, and strategically collected cyber flags to earn points. An hour into the competition, their relentless dedication propelled them to second place. With just 40 minutes remaining, they surged into the lead, holding a commanding 90-point advantage. As the final minutes ticked down, the competition tightened, and with 15 minutes to go, the display screens were shut off, leaving all teams in suspense.
The final results were delivered during a lavish awards cermony, including a three course meal. To our sheer delight, Team “Sparkles”—Charlie, Amelia, Naomi, and Carys—were crowned the Champion of Champions with a phenomenal score of 980 points, leaving their closest competitors trailing at 730.
Their victory earned them a £50 Amazon voucher each, prestigious certificates, and the highly coveted Challenger Coin—an illustrious honor in the cyber industry. Of the three possible coins—Red for Accuracy, Blue for Points, and Silver for excellence in both—they were awarded the Silver, marking them as the ultimate Cyber Champions.
Throughout the evening, industry leaders and esteemed guests praised our learners not only for their exceptional skills but also for their humility, positivity, and gracious sportsmanship. They truly embodied the spirit of future digital leaders, and this achievement is only the beginning of their journey in cybersecurity.
