HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — A pair of retired military cybersecurity specialists have turned a decade of classroom work into a rolling tech lab for Virginia students after receiving an unexpected $200,000 appropriation from the state.
From classroom to road
Kimberly and Ricardo Frost, founders of RFK Solutionz Corporation and the nonprofit arm RFK Outreach, said the new STEM Cybersecurity Mobile Bus will take lessons in drones, robotics and online safety directly to children who can’t make it to the group’s summer Cyber Academy in Hampton Roads.
“Since they can’t get to us, we’ll do what we can to get to them,” Ricardo Frost said.
The couple, both with military cybersecurity backgrounds, have run the Cyber Academy for about 10 years. They told News Block their program typically enrolls roughly 100 students each summer, offering training in cloud computing, cybersecurity, IT, networking and project management. The mobile bus is intended to extend that reach to communities where students — particularly youth of color and those in rural areas — face barriers to attending on-site sessions.
How it will work and why it matters
The Frosts said the state funding, requested by House Transportation Committee Chair Cliff Hayes, D‑Chesapeake, will be pivotal to equipping and operating the converted bus. They framed the effort as both educational outreach and a workforce pipeline, linking hands‑on youth experience to broader state goals for a stronger technology workforce.
- Program history: roughly a decade of Cyber Academy summer sessions.
- Typical reach: about 100 students per summer before the bus.
- New focus: in‑field lessons on drones, robotics and cybersecurity for underserved communities.
Those goals align with continuing policy emphasis from Virginia lawmakers and federal representatives on expanding tech skills and cybersecurity readiness. RFK Outreach leaders noted support from the broader political community for workforce development, though specifics beyond the appropriation were not provided.
Practical impact for families and schools
The mobile bus could reduce transportation and scheduling burdens for families who find it difficult to bring children to centralized programs. By going on site to neighborhoods, community centers and possibly schools, RFK Outreach aims to introduce hands‑on STEM work to students who might otherwise lack exposure.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| State appropriation | $200,000 |
| Organization | RFK Outreach / RFK Solutionz Corporation |
| Typical summer enrollment | About 100 students |
Kimberly Frost said the work feels like continued service after their military careers: training young people to protect themselves, their families and, ultimately, national interests in cyberspace. That message — teaching practical skills while building a local talent pool — is resonant in communities wrestling with both economic opportunity and rapid technology change.
Officials with RFK Outreach did not provide a detailed rollout schedule for the bus, but the appropriation suggests the program will move from planning into purchase, conversion and deployment phases. Families and schools interested in participating should contact RFK Outreach directly for dates and site availability.
The initiative highlights how relatively modest state investments can be leveraged by community organizations to broaden STEM access across Virginia, especially in places where transportation, awareness or cost have limited participation.
