WAIMEA — The Cyber Menehune team from Waimea High earned first place in the Army JROTC Category participating in the Silver Tier of the national CyberPatriot XIV competition.
“Your Cyber Menehune were the best Army JROTC CyberPatriot team in the nation in the Silver Tier,” Col. Vincent Lee Freeman Jr. announced to Waimea High School Principal Mahina Anguay in an email.
The victory in the Silver Tier qualifies the Waimea team for the national competition that will take place next month in Bethesda, Maryland.
The Competitors Guide for the National Finals Competition, containing logistics, competition rules and information concerning COVID-19 protocols, will be available to the team by Feb. 23.
However, because of COVID-19 and travel restrictions, some teams attending the in-person National Finals Competition will compete from their homes, schools or other facilities, the CyberPatriot XIV information flier states.
The mission of CyberPatriot is to inspire students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to the nation’s future through fun and engaging programs designed for K-12 students.
Categorized in the All Service grouping, Waimea’s Cyber Menehune topped the Army JROTC division, with second place being announced as Newsome High School Wolf Pack 1 from Lithia, Florida.
“Wow!” said state Department of Education Kaua‘i Area Complex Superintendent Paul Zina to Anguay. “This is fantastic news! Such a great accomplishment for the team. I’m super proud of the team — Go, Menehune!”
Other high schools from Hawai‘i making it through the CyberPatriot XIV semifinials include the President Theodore Roosevelt High School of Honolulu that finished second in the Gold Tier Army JROTC division. The Honolulu high school team was bettered by a team from Sparkman High School from Harvest, Alabama.
A search for the number of participating groups from Hawai‘i indicated there were 94 teams participating in all divisions including Open, Middle School and All Service. The Cyber Menehune topped the 33 teams participating in the All Service category.
Team members of the Cyber Menehune include John Wesley Bueno, Kendal Oyama, Michael Thompson, Madix McFarland, Emman Carinio, Jovin Ezekiel Moises and Maverick Dubose. The advising instructor is Freeman, assisted by retired Sgt. Maj. Keith Castaneda.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
