CHS student first to achieve cybersecurity certification | Local News

Cleburne High School Information Technology student Alex Yzaguirre set a new milestone in his final days before graduation in becoming the first to achieve the CompTIA Security+ Certification.

The industry-standard certification became the latest in a list of IT endorsements earned by Yzaquirre in his four years in the Career and Technical Education program at CHS. He has also achieved the TestOut PCPro, TestOut Network Pro, TestOut Security Pro and the CompTIA A+ certifications required for professionals in the IT industry.

In passing the CompTIA Security+ certification exam, Yzaguirre displayed the knowledge and skills, terms, techniques and tools relating to cybersecurity including current threats and automation, and the abilities to assess a security concern and implement appropriate solutions.

While the cybersecurity certification will be added to the curriculum in Cleburne’s IT program in the upcoming school year, Yzaguirre took advantage of IT teacher Dewayne Hawpe’s offer to advanced seniors to pilot the program this year as an independent project.

“Since we will be offering cybersecurity as a certification in 2024-25, I wanted my senior advanced networking students to have the option of pursuing the CompTIA Security+ on their own,” Hawpe said. “It is a tremendous achievement that Alex has graduated with all these certifications, including the first that involves cybersecurity.

“When Alex first started in the IT pathway in the ninth grade, he didn’t know anything about computers or networking. He received an IT award as a junior and I think he was shocked that I chose him to receive that recognition. But I saw his potential and I think it motivated him to take on this certification challenge, knowing it would be on top of his other assignments and IT projects. He was willing to step out of his comfort zone and reach higher. I always tell my students to work hard to achieve their goals and that they will get out of life what they invest in it.”

Yzaguirre said he decided to “go for it” when Hawpe announced the trial run of the Security+ certification.

“When Mr. Hawpe asked if anyone would want to undertake the chance to earn this new security certification, I decided I’d try,” Yzaguirre said. “I thought it would be much smarter to do it while I was still in high school — with the school paying for it — rather than paying for it myself later. I knew I would be working on my own, but I felt I had the drive and self-discipline to do it.”

Yzaguirre chose health science and IT as career pathways when he started out at CHS and found working with computers to be the better fit.

“I enjoyed IT a lot more,” he said. “I like figuring out how things work in technology — and learning all you can do with technology. With this certification, I know what to look for in determining a cybersecurity threat and the best way to deal with it — the best course of action to take. This is necessary for a job in IT in the government setting, which is something I’m considering. Working as a network administrator is another career option for me.”

While the work, followed by the preparation to pass the certification exam, was one of the hardest tasks in his four years at CHS, Yzaguirre says it was all worth it and is proud of what he has achieved.

“Right after you finish the test, you have to take a survey,” he said. “Then you hit ‘next’ and you see your score. When I saw I’d passed, I wanted to cry. I see now I can definitely accomplish what I want—if I put in the effort.

“Mr. Hawpe likes to remind me of how far I have come since I started in IT. I was pretty lost that first year. It’s exciting to be graduating with this many certifications and to be the first name to go up on Mr. Hawpe’s IT Wall of Fame of those achieving the Security+ certification. He’s been a great teacher. He explains things so well and doesn’t make you feel afraid to ask questions.”

Yzaguirre will be recognized for his achievement at Monday’s school board meeting.