Local youth earn national recognition through cyber/IT program

A group of young men from Augusta gained valuable experience and even some national recognition for their achievements in technology and innovation, thanks to the 100 Black Men of Augusta’s STEM Cyber/IT Program and the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center at Augusta University.

The Augusta chapter of the 100 Black Men of America led the program during the spring of 2025, bringing together local middle and high school students with a strong interest in technology. The students took part in a series of workshops, guided mentorship sessions and hands-on activities to build skills in app development, cybersecurity and financial literacy.

“The most rewarding part of leading this program was witnessing the spark ignite in these young men. We began with a basic introduction to the world of cyber and information technology, and by the end, they had developed a working application they could be genuinely proud of,” said Danny Etheredge, director of training for the Georgia Cyber Center. “I’m incredibly proud of each participant and excited to see where their journeys lead. This program truly embodied the motto of the 100 Black Men of America: ‘What they see is what they’ll be.’”

One of the highlights of the program was a virtual session with JT Taylor, a cybersecurity executive and co-founder of the Black I.T. Academy. Taylor shared his personal story and professional insights, giving students a real-world perspective on careers in cybersecurity and technology.

The program concluded with several students attending the 39th Annual Conference of the 100 Black Men of America in June. During the national conference, the students’ work earned a third-place finish in a national STEM competition sponsored by NextEra Energy. Their winning project was an AI-powered financial literacy simulator designed to help users improve their understanding of personal finance.

“Being a part of the stem program was an awesome experience, and it was inspiring to meet these young men who were dedicated to spending some of their free time every week to come and learn about AI,” said Emmanuel Faminu, an AU student majoring in computer science in the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. “It was all the more exciting to get the opportunity to go to nationals with them. I was proud of them for what they created and the opportunity that stemmed from it. I was so proud to see them on stage conquer their moment and bring home third place. It was such a big brother moment, as I was chaperoning those two young men and saw how my direct influence on their lives was creating positive change.”

The program gave students a comprehensive innovation experience, from brainstorming and prototyping to pitching their product before judges representing the NextEra Energy Foundation and other industry leaders. Along the way, they worked with mentors and industry professionals, developing both technical expertise and professional confidence.

“The program was really interesting because I have taken a program for computer science at my school, but this was a whole different level because we were actually making an app around financial literacy,” said Sport Nelson, a rising senior at AR Johnson who has his eyes set on attending a four-year college to study computer science. “It was an amazing opportunity to try to help our community, and it was fun because it was a big group of us learning what would work best for the app.”

The partnership with the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center was key to the program’s success. The center provided students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, giving them a professional environment to collaborate, develop their ideas and refine their application.

By the end of the program, participants had created a fully functional application and built momentum for their futures in technology, cybersecurity, finance and other high-growth industries.

“I’m so proud of these young men and the mentors who volunteered their time to lead them,” said Eric Toler, executive director of the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center. “Their third-place national finish is a testament to one of the Georgia Cyber Center’s imperatives to inspire and empower students to excel in a technology career field – combining a world-class facility with a world-class professional staff who have a passion for helping students achieve goals they didn’t think were possible.”

The 100 Black Men of Augusta plans to build on this success, expanding opportunities for youth in the region to engage with innovation, mentorship and meaningful career pathways.