Lemon Bay High School in Charlotte County has a new cybersecurity classroom, and it doesn’t look like a typical classroom. LED lighting, modern equipment, and a layout designed to mirror real-world security work environments. The program began last school year and is funded locally by the district, and the recent ribbon-cutting made it official.
Students in the program can earn CompTIA and Cisco certifications, some of which are recognized as college credits or internationally. Student Anna Bashchuk described the room as feeling like Christmas morning because of the LEDs, and she offered a sharp observation about why the work matters: data, she said, is like the new currency, almost more important than money.
District CTE director Dr. Brian Grantstra and teacher D’Uane Howard are behind the effort to build a career pathway into high-demand, high-paying cybersecurity jobs. The point is simple: students can walk out of high school with credentials that lead to work here on the Suncoast, elsewhere in Florida, or anywhere in the world. Do you think more local schools should invest in hands-on tech programs like this one?
