Cyber Arts teaches cybersecurity and ethical hacking to high school students of all socio-economic backgrounds. The learning format is a live, weekly online program with an emphasis on Capture the Flag (CTF), where high school students participate in CTFs, and coaches help guide the teams through challenges.
Capture the Flag is a learning method designed by the cybersecurity industry where small teams or individuals participate in friendly virtual competitions to take on exploits and vulnerabilities in controlled and timed environments. Think of CTF’s as the e-sport of cybersecurity.
Cyber Arts was founded in 2020 by Wilson Waller of Memphis, Tennessee. He wrote on his LinkedIn page, “Access to education is the most critical variable to the success of a nation’s economy. In order to ensure the longterm success of America and our allies, we must provide our youth the opportunity to learn the skills that are rapidly shaping the future.”
Waller previously founded Building Box, a startup that created portable tech labs out of retired shipping containers to provide a space for Memphis students to explore STEM areas. The hands-on and creative learning environment in these custom-made STEM classrooms enable students to develop technology and critical thinking skills.
Waller is not actually a diehard computer geek but a business major. While a student at Memphis University School and at the University of Tennessee, where he majored in economics and international business, his volunteer work for underprivileged kids and students with disabilities helped him realize that whatever career he chose, it had to have some social value.
“I knew I wanted to work in a field where I could help people and see an immediate impact,” he said. [Blank, Christopher. “Thinking Inside (and Outside) of the Box.” MUS Today, Spring 2018, p. 16]
Waller’s economics major led him to a study-abroad program in India, where he quickly learned why India is well ahead of the United States in preparing students for tech careers. An educational focus in sciences, math, technology, and engineering (the STEM essentials) has long been considered invaluable to the country’s economy.
“What is cool about the YouTube and DIY culture is that it has changed the way we access knowledge,” Waller said. “There is this whole underground tech economy in India where people are building things and innovating based on videos they watch. My background isn’t in engineering or architecture. It’s economics. But a lot can be built in an open-sourced world.”
The Cyber Arts program lasts for 1 semester, with 15 weekly sessions total. Choose one day a week: Tuesday or Wednesday, 12 – 3pm EST.
After a 90-minute lesson, students break into three-person teams to take on Capture the Flag (CTF) missions—guided by expert coaches. Students will solve real problems, building teamwork, confidence, and technical skill.
Classes start the first week of September and run until December 17th. Sign up now! If you miss a class, you can catch up in 1-on-1 and you will also have access to the class recording.
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Testimonial
“As a homeschool mom, I look at a lot of different courses out there, and this cyber class stood out in every way. It offered a solid intro to white hat hacking and how the internet really works—covering everything from IP addresses and network basics to password security and hacking demos.
We’ve taken other workshops and bootcamps, and the quality of this one was by far the best. It’s a fantastic way for any family to spark interest in a future-proof, AI-resistant field—especially valuable for homeschooling families looking to add real-world tech skills to their curriculum.
The teachers were enthusiastic, engaging, and knew how to keep the kids’ attention the entire time—it was never boring. My child went in hesitant but came out excited and inspired.” –Lorain
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