On April 8, the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) welcomed high school students from its Statewide Youth Broadband Advisory Council (SYBAC) to the Capitol Complex in Des Moines, IA. During the day, the students met with the ICN leadership, explored the stunning Capitol building, and interacted with the FIRST! Robotics displays in the rotunda.
After touring the Capitol, the students engaged with several elected officials on issues relating to cybersecurity, infrastructure, and technology. In addition, they were also invited to the floor of the House Chamber. Participating legislators that heard from their local students included: Senator Dan Zumbach (R), Representative Timi Brown-Powers (D), Representative Chad Ingels (R), Senator William Dotzler Jr. (D), Representative Heather Matson (D), Senator Annette Sweeney (R), Senator Mike Zimmer (D), Representative Craig Johnson (R), Representative Ryan Weldon (R), and Representative Ray Sorensen (R).
After the activities at the Capitol, the students headed back to the ICN office. They took the opportunity to ask the ICN team a range of questions about infrastructure, career paths, and coding. The SYBAC students were provided an overview of the different screen displays in ICNβs Broadband Information Center. The students heard about the network operations and how the team uses interactive software for updates, reports, and alerts, which is essential for maintaining the network's efficiency. Additionally, they participated in discussions on how ICN oversees its private and secure network, manages peering connections, and adapts to support the critical infrastructure required in an ever-evolving tech landscape.
Along with the events at the Capitol Complex, the students were welcomed by LightEdge Solutions in Altoona, where they had the chance to explore their local datacenter.
About SYBAC
During the school year, the SYBAC students met with professionals from Iowa tech companies and progressed through a cybersecurity training certification program offered by Fortinet. A number of students also completed an outreach project which consisted of interviewing a business technology professional or developing a community service presentation.
In its 10th year, the ICN created the SYBAC program to help students explore technology-related topics, learn about State of Iowa technology initiatives, and connect with technology professionals from Iowa.