BARBERTON, Ohio — In the Barberton High School cybersecurity lab, Jackson Gamsby— a Copley High Student— learns about digital forensics and guarding against cyber attacks.
"It's important because every day, there's more threats— more attackers that are trying to break that system down and we have to learn how to defend them," Gamsby said.
One floor below, Barberton High student Jamison Gurchie knows how to use a variety of machines in the advanced manufacturing room. He has a goal of one day working in the industry.
"We can make almost anything out of metal," he said. "Right here, we're trying to make a can opener."
Both programs, used by four school districts (Barberton, Wadsworth, Norton and Copley), are strong but about to get much stronger— thanks mainly to a late educator named Phil Hodanbosi.
Both district leaders and students greatly appreciate the legacy he leaves behind.
"He was just a good person and wanted what's best for everyone, especially students of Barberton," said Michael Andric, Barberton's assistant director of curriculum.
Andric said Hodanbosi worked for Barberton schools for 51 years as a math teacher, coach and instructional coach for teachers.
"Everyone who has ever had him in class said he was the best math teacher they've ever had," Andric said.
Most recently, Hodanbosi wrote a grant for the district and applied for a $1.4 million grant through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.
Sadly, Hodanbosi died on Feb. 28 while vacationing with family.
Two days later, school leaders learned they had received the grant Hodanbosi had pushed hard to get.
Andric said it was one of the most significant grants Barberton has ever received.
"I think it's really poignant how it all happened, where he passes and two days later, we find out about this grant," Andric said.
The grant will update and replace many manufacturing machines with state-of-the-art equipment to better prepare students for the workforce.
More monitors and servers are coming into the cybersecurity lab, allowing for a simulated virtual environment known as a cyber range.
"This will be only the third cyber range in the state of Ohio and the first one in a high school that we know of," Andric said.
District leaders plan to order much of the equipment soon to have it delivered in the summer and installed with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the fall.
In the meantime, students— some who knew Hodanbosi and others who did not— are grateful for everything he did to help kids, recognizing that he's gone but still giving.
"The machine tech kids and cybersecurity students, we are all very grateful for the grants that he gave us," Gamsby said.
