Get ready to explore all the details about NRECA's 2025 Co-op Cyber Tech badge! With 24 RGB LEDs and a Raspberry Pi Pico, we present the journey of electricity and how it gets from nature to those of us who prefer to live in it, and…occasionally give a tongue-in-cheek nod to the less savory elements that can break that chain!
Badge Bits!
Let’s Talk About the Badge Bits!
Power Switch: On the left, by the puffin, is an ON/OFF switch. Down is ON, Up is OFF. Feel free to turn the badge off at night!
Transmit Button: On the back, above the battery clip, is a button. When you meet someone new, click on that button with your badges facing each other to register that you’ve met them. The badge communicates through IR.
Badge Colors:
- Green = Staff
- White = CS-MAG (staff)
- Red = Vendor
- Blue = Speaker
- Black = Normal attendee
What am I Supposed to do With the Badge?
The goal is to bring home a bling-tastic badge that everyone else will want! But to do that, you need to meet other people at the conference and maybe even help them.
On the back of your badge is a button (above the battery clip). When you meet someone new, click on that button with your badges facing each other to register that you’ve met them.
Each person you meet will give you 1 point towards badge glory.
To check your status, click on the button. The number of lit icons shows you how many people you’ve met (every 2 is 1 LED). Unlock each level (Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Residential) – you’ll want to meet 10 new people per level!
Icons: Each time your badge comes across spurious signals from other badges, there’s a chance that your badge may encounter different threats that endanger a given step in electricity’s journey:
The icon will turn RED and your badge will not be able to register new points, so make sure to get it fixed!
Icon
| Impacted Phase | Who Can “Fix” It |
|---|
| Malware | Generation | Higher level badges |
| Natural Disasters | Transmission
| Speaker badges (Blue) / Higher level badges
|
Electrical Fires
| Distribution
| Vendor badges (Red) / Higher level badges
|
Squirrels
| Residential
| Staff Badges (White/Green) / Higher level badges
|
You can increase the level of bling and the number of animations your badge can display by helping others. The more badges your badge unlocks, the more blingy your badge can get as well! It pays to help others!
Silly Add-Ons (SAOs)
Throughout the conference, the staff will be handing out the following silly add-ons (SAOs) to add additional flair to your badge.
It’s no secret that not only do we service rural areas, but our jobs can be lonely places. Conferences like NRECA’s 2025 Co-op Cyber Tech allow us to spend time with other like-minded individuals. But sometimes, it can drain the social battery! The Social Battery SAO communicates with others about how social we’d like to be with a switch (on the back) going between No thanks, to Maybe, to Definitely!
Project Guardian: These are kits that you get to solder the header on to practice soldering skills and for a cool SAO.
Cyber Goals: This will be handed out to those who have completed the Level 1 goals.
If I Have Questions – How do I Ask?
During the conference, Addie from Tymkrs will be available to chat and answer questions via Zoom at the times indicated below. You can join the Zoom in the village area; if you're unsure where to go, please reach out to our staff.
Tuesday, June 24
Wednesday, June 25
- 7:30-8:30 a.m. – Breakfast
- 10-11:30 a.m. – Breakout 1
- 12:30-6:30 p.m. – Breakouts 2-4 and Networking Reception (5-6:30 p.m.)
Thursday, June 26
- 7:30-8:30 am – Breakfast
- 9:30 a.m.-Noon – Breakout 5-6
- 1:45-4:00 p.m. – Village Extended Hours
