(WBIR) - A concentrated effort to steer more students toward computer science careers is gaining momentum in Knox County thanks in part to competition.
"It's pretty intense. Every single second you are working against the clock to try to find the last couple of problems," said Matt Fisher, a junior at Farragut High School and a member of an after-school club called the "Cyber Patriots."
He and his teammates travel around the region to matches lasting six hours. They pit those young minds against each other, working through complex computer security challenges.
"We're trying to lock down the operating system from hackers getting into it, we're a 'cyber defense' team," said Farragut High computer teacher David Galaska.
For the last four years he has volunteered dozens, if not hundreds of hours after school to help lead more than two dozen students in the Cyber Patriot program. That program is the brainchild of the non-profit Air Force Association, with deep ties to the Air Force.
"We had six teams compete in the 2008-2009 time frame and now we're up over 54 teams statewide, 24 of those being right here in East Tennessee," said Steve Dillenburg, chapter president of the Air Force Association.
Whether students pursue a career in the Air Force or other branch of the military is secondary. The priority for the program is to engage more young people in computer skills no matter the job they move into after high school or college.
"They're going to be a benefit to whoever they go to work for," said Galaska.
For more about the Cyber Patriot Program: www.uscyberpatriot.org
