ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Elk Grove celebrated local brilliance as Franklin High School’s “Team Half Dome” triumphed at the sixth annual NorCalCyber Mayors Cup - Greater Sacramento Region. 

The team’s remarkable victory was highlighted as they presented the perpetual trophy to Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen at a City Council meeting.

The meeting’s atmosphere was electric, with the Half Dome team bringing home the national top spot in its division of the CyberPatriot competition and recently being recognized on the floor of the California Assembly by Assembly Member Stephanie Nguyen for their excellence this year. 

With the presence of the six team members, their coach Chris Shuping, parents and officials from the school district and the region, Mayor Singh-Allen opened the ceremony by asking coach Shuping to introduce each of the team members. 

Singh-Allen also provided an inspiring message for the students: “This competition is a great opportunity to showcase the skillset and capabilities of our students, preparing you for career opportunities in cybersecurity as well as science, technology and engineering fields. Congratulations to the Half Dome team, from Franklin High School, on your continued success at the CyberPatriot competition and the Mayors Cup. What an inspiration you are to your fellow competitors.”

In recognition of their extraordinary efforts and mastery of diverse cybersecurity skills, Singh-Allen presented the members of Team Half Dome with certificates of recognition from the city. 

These accolades encapsulated their diligent preparation, hard work and the dedication that propelled them to win the esteemed NorCalCyber Mayors Cup competition for the Greater Sacramento Region.

“Experiences with cybersecurity competitions have been crucial to helping me work with others in a professional environment,” said team member Joshua Fong, “and the importance of communication to achieving any task we as a team are given. It has not only helped me make valuable friends but helped us all realize that we need one another to achieve any success.”

Team member Priyam Rangwala echoed those sentiments saying, “Each competition we compete in requires us to think critically about what we have learned, forcing us to apply concepts to different situations, honing our critical thinking skills.”

The pivotal role of teamwork emerged as a common theme in the reflections of the Half Dome team members and coach Shuping.

Team Half Dome scored the highest points (1,575 out of 2,115) in the high school division for the Greater Sacramento Region and also outshone 59 teams, consisting of more than 200 students from middle schools, high schools and community colleges across the state.

The NorCalCyber Mayors Cup was made possible by funding from the Sacramento County Office of Education Strong Workforce Program. 

The event was designed, managed and executed by synED, a California nonprofit organization demonstrating its commitment to fostering cybersecurity talent in the region.