OK-ISAC awards sweet Raspberry Pi STEM kits to area schools, lighting a path for future careers in technology
By Miranda Gilbert
Inspiring students to pursue careers in IT and cybersecurity will ultimately help strengthen the state’s cybersecurity workforce. The OMES Oklahoma Information Sharing and Analysis Center (OK-ISAC) is awarding Raspberry Pi devices to several Oklahoma schools in pursuit of that mission.
A Raspberry Pi is a small computer that can be used for a variety of projects, from building robots to writing code for creating video games. Over 300 devices will make their way to primary, secondary and technology schools across the state.
“Our team is thrilled to be able to provide these devices to schools,” said Amber Mangham, OMES Oklahoma Cyber Command watch officer and OK-ISAC lead. “We believe that by introducing students to technology at an early age, we can help prepare them for future careers in IT and cybersecurity.”
The Raspberry Pi devices will be distributed to educators who will incorporate them into their curriculum, using them to teach students about programming, computer hardware and cybersecurity. This will give students hands-on experience with technology and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are necessary for success in STEM fields.
Schools which applied and were selected include Caney Valley Middle School, Cheyenne Public Schools, Clyde Boyd Middle School, Cushing High School, Deer Creek Middle School, Duncan Middle School, Earnest Childers Middle School, Frontier Public Schools, Gracemont High School, Guymon Central Junior High School, Haskell High School, Jenks High School, Marietta Public Schools, Merritt High School, Moore-Norman Technology School, Oklahoma Fine Arts and Science Academy, Perkins-Tyron High School, Putnam City North High School, Rose State College, Shattuck High School, Stillwater Junior High School, Tecumseh Public Schools, Turpin Public Schools and Wagoner High School.
For more information on this initiative and ways to further develop a secure Oklahoma cybersecurity posture, please contact OK-ISAC at OKISAC@omes.ok.gov. For more news on cybersecurity in Oklahoma, visit cybersecurity.ok.gov.
More information:
Other resources:
- LinkedIn Learning Raspberry Pi Beginner's Guide.
- The official Raspberry Pi Education Manual (tutorials for Scratch and Python, command line basics and more).
- Raspbian OS (basic Linux operating system for Raspberry Pi).
- Raspberry Pi Wiki.
