L.A. Times Features Franklin Cyber Patriots

The Cyber Patriots from didn't place at recent national competition held in Oxon Hill, Maryland, but their efforts did earn them a spotlight in the Los Angeles Times.

Franklin's team beat out thousands of schools across the nation to earn a spot in the competition, which tasked them with protecting vulnerable database against skilled hackers with bad intentions.

On the line was a chance to win scholarship money, dinner with President Barack Obama and, potentially, a lucrative career in the cyber-security industry.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Northrop Grumman, a leading provider of cyber security to the government, hired a dozen students who participated in last year's competition. This year it is looking to fill 30 positions.

The program brings the students onboard in high school and has them work in the summers and remain on on-call status so they can work during holiday breaks. Upon college graduation, some will be offered plum six-figure jobs.

"You have to have people who understand and who know this business and know the threat and can deal with these evolving problems," said Diane G. Miller, a director of the operations cyber security group at Northrop Grumman. "This is one way to qualify, train and build that workforce."

This year's Cyber Patriot team comprised members William Wong, Alvir Dela Cruz, Patricia Hernandez, Jenny Huang, Jasmine Talavera and Jasmine Cao.

In March of 2011, the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council voted in favor of providing $1,500 in neighborhood purposes funding to support the program.