The Girl Scouts of the USA will soon offer badges in cybersecurity for girls in grades K-12 as part of a growing national effort to bring technological skill and digital savvy to America’s schoolchildren.
The badges will cover everything from staying safe online and combating cyberbullying to “the kinds of skills that cybersecurity experts need to combat theft, extortion, espionage, data manipulation, and other criminal acts,” Suzanne Harper, the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) strategy lead for the organization, said in a written response.
Its new curriculum will be developed alongside security company Palo Alto Networks, with the help of a cybersecurity advisory board. The tentative plan is to release badges for scouts in grades K-5 by next summer, with badges for older scouts available the following summer. The focus on cybersecurity is part of a larger effort to promote STEM among the 1.8 million girls who are part of the Girl Scouts.
