Thirty high school juniors and seniors from across the Inland Empire got a taste of college life and future tech careers during Cal State San Bernardino’s annual WITH (Workforce Innovation Technology Hubs) Cyber Camp, held June 9-12 on the university’s main campus.

The immersive four-day, three-night residential camp gave students hands-on exposure to the world of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence through a unique blend of instruction, mentorship and community-building. Participants lived in the CSUSB dorms, took part in outdoor and team-building activities, and explored career paths in roles such as network engineer, cyber defense analyst, and system administrator.

“My first day of camp, I was a little nervous cause I didn’t know how my dorm mates were going to be, but I like those guys,” said camper Aaron Aboytes. “They’re pretty fun!”

The camp curriculum was led by CSUSB students and alumni, including camp lead instructor Arcky Vielma and student instructors. “I wanted to become a camp counselor this year for WITH-Cyber so that I could give back to this community and help teach students about advanced cybersecurity topics at their most impressionable age,” said student instructor Friday Kriedman.

The camp gave students hands-on exposure to the world of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence through a unique blend of instruction, mentorship and community-building.
The camp gave students hands-on exposure to the world of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence through a unique blend of instruction, mentorship and community-building.

Throughout the week, students worked on Mini PCs and used Raspberry Pi devices to engage with an AI chat assistant developed by Yerena. These tools supported students as they built technical knowledge and practiced real-world scenarios tied to cybersecurity professions.

Employers from San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and San Bernardino County Public IT Health joined the camp for “Power Hour” mentorship sessions, helping students visualize future careers and understand the industry landscape.

Thirty Inland Empire high school juniors and seniors attended the June 9-12 WITH-Cyber Camp on the CSUSB campus.
Thirty Inland Empire high school juniors and seniors attended the June 9-12 WITH-Cyber Camp on the CSUSB campus.

On the final day, campers put their knowledge to the test in a friendly competition, showcasing everything they’d learned throughout the week. Families joined for the closing ceremony, where student accomplishments were celebrated and each camper was gifted a Mini PC to continue learning. In addition, participants were enrolled in CSUSB’s dual enrollment course “Introduction to Cybersecurity” (IST 1110), earning college credit for their efforts. The College of Extended and Global Education coordinated and enrolled the students in the course, while CSUSB’s Center for Cyber and AI partnered with the campus’ Cal-SOAP program to enhance the camp experience with residential support and additional on-campus activities beyond the camp schedule.

Reflecting on the campers’ energy, student instructor Alberto Yerena said, “It’s really nice to see that passion and drive in this next generation.”

The camp curriculum was led by CSUSB students and alumni.
The camp curriculum was led by CSUSB students and alumni.

For Erinea House, outreach and recruitment coordinator for CSUSB’s Center for Cyber & AI and the camp’s lead organizer, the experience was deeply rewarding. “I would say that this camp has been one of the best experiences I’ve had on the coordinator side,” said House. “Not only did we have an amazing camp staff, but our campers had a great time — and any participant who came in sitting by themselves on the first day was eating breakfast with a group of newfound friends by Thursday morning.”

Students also found the experience personally transformative. “One word I would use to describe this camp is adventurous!” said camper Brooklyn Brown. “It taught me to get out of my comfort zone and do things I wouldn’t typically do.”