Meet Connor: Building a Pathway from Curiosity to Cybersecurity
For SkoCode educator Connor Glasner, helping students discover computer science and cybersecurity is personal. Growing up, Connor didn't have opportunities to explore computer science. It wasn't offered in school, and he didn't know anyone working in the field. He eventually found his way to computer science and cybersecurity on his own, but the experience shaped why he wanted to become a SkoCode educator.
“I want kids in our community to have that door open early, and if one of them ends up in CS or cyber because of something we did in class, that’s the whole reason I’m here.”
Today, Connor is a student at Turtle Mountain Community College and a SkoCode educator supporting students at Turtle Mountain Community High School in Belcourt, North Dakota. Through a partnership between the American Indian College Fund, Turtle Mountain Community College, Turtle Mountain Community High School, and Indigitize, Connor is helping create opportunities for high school students to explore computer science and cybersecurity while also seeing a pathway for continuing that learning close to home.
Computer Science in the Community
This fall also marked the first annual Native Computer Science and Cybersecurity Conference hosted by Turtle Mountain College. The conference brought together more than 250 attendees for a dynamic day of learning, connection, and collaboration. Nearly 100 Turtle Mountain high school students together had the opportunity experience computer science, cybersecurity, and the opportunities available in these growing fields.
Connor participated not only as a SkoCode educator, but also as a college student and presenter. At the conference, Connor presented PyVault, an encrypted desktop password manager designed to help protect against reused and breached passwords. Connor’s project tied for second place in the college student showcase, earning a $200 award.
The experience highlighted an important part of Connor's role with SkoCode. He is continuing to learn and challenge himself while sharing that growing knowledge with younger students in his community.
Curiosity in Action
Now that Connor's after-school cybersecurity program is underway, he is seeing something especially encouraging: students are choosing to be there.
“What makes me proud isn't a single moment,” Connor shared. “It's that they genuinely care.”
Students are showing up after school because they are interested in computers, how Linux works, and computer science as something they might pursue. For Connor, seeing that authentic curiosity in students who previously had little exposure to computer science is the payoff.
Teaching has also changed how Connor thinks about learning computer science. He initially expected that students would need extensive explanations before they could begin experimenting. Instead, he quickly discovered the power of hands-on learning.
Once students have technology in front of them and a real problem to explore, they begin figuring things out for themselves. Even more surprising was discovering how many students were already curious about hacking and security. “They just never had anywhere to point that curiosity.” SkoCode is helping give that curiosity somewhere to go.
Creating Pathways for the Future
Turtle Mountain Community Schools' mission is to “Prepare students for a changing world while preserving our culture and heritage.” Its vision focuses on educating and nurturing the whole child while empowering choices and pathways for success. That idea of pathways is central to this Indigitize SkoCode partnership.
With Turtle Mountain Community College and Turtle Mountain Community High School working together, students can begin exploring computer science and cybersecurity in high school while seeing opportunities to continue learning within their own community. Connor provides an important connection between those two worlds. He is a college student pursuing his own goals while helping high school students begin imagining theirs.
Connor is continuing to grow alongside his students. He is working toward his Security+ certification, while one of his goals for his students is to prepare them for Cyber Madness in February. He wants them to arrive not simply having heard about cybersecurity concepts, but having actually worked with them.
And he wants students to see that their SkoCode educator is still a learner, too.
“They should see that their teacher is still studying, still taking tests, still getting things wrong and going back at it.” - Connor
Connor describes his SkoCode journey so far in three ways: hands-on, eye-opening, and always evolving.
Those words could also describe what is beginning to take shape at Turtle Mountain: students getting hands-on experience, discovering new possibilities, and building a computer science and cybersecurity pathway that can continue to grow with them.
