For the competition, the teams discovered and closed vulnerabilities in virtual operating systems like Windows, Windows Server and Linux, as well as created and maintained essential network services.
This March, Punahou’s Cyber Education Leadership Team (CELT) embarked on an exciting adventure to Bethesda, Maryland, where they competed in the CyberPatriot 17 National Finals – the largest cyber defense competition in the nation. “When we started the year, we asked the students to identify what they wanted to accomplish,” says Punahou Infrastructure Engineer Brian Hoole, one of the coaches for the team. “They told us they wanted to make it to Nationals – and after a lot of work and focus, here we are.” The team placed fifth out of 1,406 teams in the All Service category.
Isaac Verbugge ’25, Kealoha Comcowich ’25, Chase Nam ’27, Daniel Dinh ’25 and Josh Yang ’25 represented the winning team. What these students have accomplished is no small feat, according to Punahou’s Chief Information Officer Shige Minami. “Cybersecurity demands critical thinking under pressure, teamwork, and real-world awareness,” he notes. “And they have done this all while balancing academics, sports, the arts and everything else.”
This milestone was celebrated with a ceremony at Dole Hall, which was attended by Punahou President Mike Latham ’86 and other distinguished guests. “None of this would be possible without our coaches,” Minami says. “They have gone beyond just helping students configure computers and firewalls. It’s about building leadership, professionalism and teamwork. It represents our students stepping into a new level of maturity and excellence.”
The team exploring the D.C. area during their trip.
Punahou’s CELT team has evolved significantly in the last two years, according to team coach John Martin, vp of enterprise information security at First Hawaiian Bank. The training became more formalized, and the team began using the official curriculum from the National Youth Cyber Education Program, which was created by the Air & Space Forces Association to inspire K – 12 students toward careers in cybersecurity and STEM fields. In previous years, Punahou’s CELT program was more of a club, where students would come and hang out after school and work on their ideas. The new rigor translated into more sophisticated skills, which made the cohort more competitive.
Beyond the competition, the team’s visit to the D.C. area included other enriching experiences, such as getting a private tour of Congress from staffers at the office of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz ’90 as well as exploring the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol Building. There was also a banquet, which provided the opportunity to build other life skills. “We practiced table etiquette and formal attire,” Hoole says. “We told them that they are representing not only Punahou but also Hawai‘i in general.” They rose to the occasion.
In total, approximately 40 students from Case Middle School and the Academy are actively involved in Punahou’s CELT. And though four members of the winning team are graduating seniors, the coaches believe they leave a strong legacy for the younger students. “One of our biggest goals next year is to focus on the development of student leadership, particularly as it relates to the sustainability of the group over time.” Martin explains. “We need to develop the leadership capacity of our next generation of CELT members to grow and improve our program.”
One way to deepen the team’s talent bench is to expand CELT’s reach into the middle school. “Those middle school students will feed into the Academy level competitions, which should ensure the long-term viability of the program,” says Martin. “We are excited for the upcoming years.”