Build · Learn · Network · Protect

Turn screen time into skills.

A one-day cyber & tech convention to brainstorm, build, learn, and network — with live builds, security challenges, civics and ethics labs, and a supervised Juniors Room.

Date
[ Month 00 ]
Time
[ 9AM – 5PM ]
Venue
[ Venue / City ]

Three labs, one day

Skills, judgment, and civic footing — junior to pro, ethics first. Come for one lab or move between all three.

Lab 01 · How it works

Cyber Lab

White-hat fundamentals taught the right way, on sanctioned, isolated ranges.

  • Digital hygiene & home-lab basics
  • Capture-the-flag on authorized ranges
  • Blue-team & (pro) red/blue exercises
  • Authorized-use rule, always first
Lab 02 · Why it matters

Civics Lab

How civic institutions work — and how to tell what's real in a noisy feed.

  • "Consider the Source" & media literacy
  • Spot manufactured trends & influence ops
  • Trace a claim to a primary source
  • Build a fact guide or local explainer
Lab 03 · The throughline

Ethics Lab

Build and use technology responsibly. Provenance, consent, and child-safety by design.

  • Responsible disclosure & authorized use
  • Provenance thinking — know your sources
  • What happens when you engage engineered content
  • Write your own "build code"

Schedule at a glance

A sample flow — final times posted closer to the event. The Juniors Room runs in parallel, fully supervised.

Main Hall

9:00Welcome — why we're here
9:20Keynote demo: device packages + provenance
10:00Civics Lab: spot the fakery (media literacy)
11:00Build track kickoff + Cyber Lab fundamentals
1:00Ethics Lab: responsible building panel
3:15Live CTF finals (sanctioned range)
4:00Showcase, awards & certificates
5:00Networking mixer

Juniors Room (supervised)

9:00Welcome + ground rules; what a white hat is
9:30How the internet works (hands-on)
10:15"Spot the Fakery" — junior media literacy
11:15Intro CTF #1 (sandbox)
12:00Lunch + family digital-safety session
1:00Build-your-first-thing workshop
2:00Junior CTF #2 (showcase qualifier)
4:00Junior showcase + certificates

Who it's for

Anyone who wants to trade wasted screen time for real skills.

Families

Safe devices, family digital safety, and a supervised room for kids.

Students

Junior-to-pro tracks, CTFs, scholarships, and mentors.

Educators

Media-literacy tools and curriculum you can take back to class.

Orgs & campaigns

Full computing systems that run our apps and connect locally.

Sponsors

Sponsorship funds the supervised Juniors Room, the sanctioned lab range, and scholarships — so cost never keeps a kid out.

Become a sponsor

Reserve your spot

Seats and Juniors Room spaces fill fast. Registration includes waiver + (for minors) parent consent.

Register — [ your-register-url.org ]

Registering a minor? A parent/guardian completes consent at sign-up.

FAQ

Is it safe for kids?

Yes. The Juniors Room is fully supervised with screened, background-checked mentors and a two-adult rule. All lab activity runs on isolated, sanctioned infrastructure — never anyone else's networks.

Do I need experience?

No. Every lab has a beginner track. Come curious.

Is the content partisan?

No. The Civics Lab teaches how to evaluate claims and sources — not what to conclude. It hands you the tools and lets you navigate for yourself.

What does "white-hat" mean here?

Ethical, authorized security work only — on systems you own or have written permission to test. The ethics-and-law module comes first, always.

"Cyber & Tech Convention" is a working title — event name, marks, and all copy clear McAuliffe (IP/TM) and Olson (commercial) before public launch. Dates, venue, and schedule are placeholders.