Bridgewater-Raritan Students Honored At Cybersecurity Competitions

BRIDGEWATER, NJ - Over half a dozen members of the cybersecurity club at Bridgewater-Raritan High School have been honored for their strides in cybersecurity and coding, earning top scores in statewide competitions.

Of the 96 students in the high school’s CyBR Hacks Club, eight were recently recognized for their ability to navigate the safety of systems, networks and programs, as well as blocking dangerous and unwelcomed outside invaders.

Club co-President Ethan Wang placed first in the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) and shared first place in the National Cyber Scholar Competition.

Fellow president Shachin Ramkumar finished sixth, while members Arnav Dedhia placed eighth and Kevin Wang secured 11th place in the NJCCIC State Competition.

In the National Cyber Scholar Competition, Ramkumar finished eighth, Dedhia placed 10th, Kevin Wang earned 16th place, club co-president Shrey Agarwal recorded 33rd, Pranav Karra finished 65th, Sahel Abraham came in 70th and Rhea Gandhi ended in 134th place.

The club’s presidents say they were initially attracted to CyBR Hacks because of the opportunities that the club offered.

“CyBR Hacks allows our members to take an interest in technology and cybersecurity and go
above and beyond by earning scholarships, internships, and prizes just through learning and
practicing their skills through a gamified capture-the-flag platform,” Agarwal said. “I think the best part about CyBR Hacks is the opportunities and interests we have created and provided among cybersecurity enthusiasts to better themselves and the community.”

The club also works to promote cybersecurity in school by alerting the community of online safety risks. Most recently, members designed signs that promote recommendations on how to avoid hackers.

The designs were then printed by the students in the class of Annie Higgins, a Special
Education Teacher at the high school, and the posters were distributed and hung on the walls
throughout the Bridgewater-Raritan High School campus.

“These students have a chance to compete and earn scholarships while gaining exposure to
use for their careers,” said Dustin Frey, a high school computer science and math teacher who serves as the co-advisor of CyBR Hacks with math teacher Carrie Feeney. “The more information they gain, the more people that they can protect.”