2026 AFA Dayton TechFest Participation
The AFA Wright Memorial Chapter in partnership with the Ohio Cyber Reserve (OhCR), the Engineers Club of Dayton, and the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) staffed a cybersecurity education Information table at the Dayton TechFest on February 14-15, 2026.
Dayton TechFest is an annual, free, two-day STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) event held in February in Dayton, Ohio. It’s designed for families, students, educators, and anyone interested in technology and hands-on learning experiences. TechFest takes place at Sinclair Community College with a primary youth focus is on school-age children, especially K-12 students. Additional information is available on the TechFest web site at https://www.techfestdayton.org/
Attendance for the 2026 event is estimated at approximately 2,500 participants, including at least 1,000 K-12 students.
Although presenters discussed a variety of cybersecurity education opportunities, the primary focus was on AFA-supported programs, including:
- National Youth Cyber Defense Competition (NYCDC)
- AFA Summer CyberCamps
- Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative (ESCEI)
- Cyber Generations
More information on these programs can be found on the CyberPatriot website:
https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/
A key opportunity emphasized during the event was the ability for schools, scouting units, and other youth organizations to host free remote AFA Summer CyberCamps in coordination with the NMUSAF CyberCamps.
The NMUSAF has funded the summer CyberCamps for 2026 and is seeking to expand remote participation across Ohio — and potentially nationwide. Once an organization sponsors a primary onsite CyberCamp, it may host additional remote sites simultaneously at no additional registration cost.
The 2026 NMUSAF camp schedule is as follows:
- Standard CyberCamp: July 13–17, 2026
- Advanced CyberCamp: July 20–24, 2026
Both camps are held as half-day sessions during the week, concluding with a competition on Friday.
Under this remote-hosting model, the remote site is responsible for:
- Providing facility
- Ensuring appropriate adult chaperones/supervision
- Supplying student laptops or desktop computers
Points of Contact
For hosting or coordinating a remote CyberCamp:
Aaron Napierala
Ohio Cyber Reserve – Point of Contact
Email: aaron.napierala@ucmail.uc.edu
Phone: 470-588-1627
For information on other cybersecurity education programs:
Brian Kowal
Director of CyberPatriot
AFA Wright Memorial Chapter
Ohio Cyber Reserve – Educate Mission Lead
Email: kowalbn@ucmail.uc.edu
