St. John's University hosted its third annual Capture the Flag coding competition on March 15 to enhance cybersecurity literacy among high school students. The event, held at the Queens, NY campus of The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, aimed to improve students' data security skills and their ability to prevent security breaches.

"This engagement opportunity helps high school students strengthen their knowledge and passion for cybersecurity, while also introducing them to St. John's as a place to further their education," said Joan E. DeBello, Ph.D., Professor and Chair at the Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science.

Over 30 students from three high schools in New York participated in cybersecurity exercises that tested their understanding of data protection and internet privacy. The event was sponsored by the Sanford family, who have contributed to the University’s Sanford Family Cyber Security Lab. Their goal is to empower students through technology and enhance the cybersecurity community on campus.

Linda S. Sanford ’74Ed, ’98HON, a former high-ranking executive at IBM and a member of St. John's Board of Trustees Emerita, played a significant role in sponsoring the competition. Ms. Sanford was recognized as one of the "50 Most Influential Women in Business" by Fortune and is a member of the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame.

The competition involved a digital version of Capture the Flag, hosted on the Hack The Box platform. Participants searched for hidden text strings in tasks related to cybersecurity, IT, networking, and digital forensics. The winning teams hailed from Mineola High School, with Thomas Edison High School taking third place.