Closing Your Event
End your event on a high note with celebration, recognition, and clear next steps
Your participants just spent 60-90 minutes tackling genuinely hard challenges. How you close the event determines what they'll remember and whether they'll want to do this again. The goal: make everyone feel successful, inspired, and excited about what they learned - regardless of how far they got.
Why the Closing Matters (More Than You Might Think)
The closing is participants' lasting impression of your event, and it's when you transform what might feel like "unfinished work" into "the beginning of a learning journey." Many participants will be comparing themselves to others on the scoreboard or feeling disappointed they didn't complete everything. Your closing is where you reframe their experience from "did I finish?" to "look what I learned."
This is also when you turn a one-time event into ongoing learning. Participants who leave feeling celebrated and inspired are the ones who'll continue investigating on their own, tell their friends about KC7, and show up for your next event. Those who leave feeling like they "didn't do well enough" might not come back.
The Emotional Context You're Managing
By the time you reach the closing, participants are experiencing a mix of emotions:
The competitors are checking the scoreboard anxiously, wanting recognition for their hard work. They need you to celebrate their achievement while not making others feel inadequate.
The steady learners might not have "won" but discovered fascinating things and genuinely enjoyed the investigation. They need you to validate that their experience was valuable and successful.
The strugglers might feel like they "failed" because they didn't finish. They need you to explicitly reframe completion as irrelevant and learning as the victory.
The curious are wondering "what happens next?" - both in the story and in their learning journey. They need clear next steps and resources to continue.
Your closing needs to address all these emotional states, which is why we start by celebrating the entire group before announcing winners, and why we emphasize continued learning over completion.
What "Closing Well" Actually Looks Like
A good closing doesn't feel like an abrupt end to work time. It feels like a celebration, a moment of reflection, and a launching point for future learning. You're gathering everyone together (literally in person, or figuratively virtual), stepping back from the individual investigation to see the collective accomplishment, and sending people off with energy and clear direction.
You'll spend about 15 minutes total: 5 minutes gathering attention and celebrating the group, 5 minutes sharing results and recognizing achievements, and 5 minutes on next steps and feedback. It's enough time to create a meaningful conclusion without dragging on when people are mentally tired.
The tone should feel celebratory and inclusive - you're a coach recognizing the team's effort after a hard game, not a teacher grading performance. Even your language matters: "Let's recognize our top performers" sounds very different from "Let's see who won and who lost."
The final 15 minutes of your KC7 event are just as important as the opening. This is your chance to celebrate achievements, share key insights, and inspire continued learning. Here's how to create a memorable and meaningful conclusion.
Remember: Everyone who participated accomplished something remarkable. They tackled real cybersecurity challenges and learned new skills. Celebrate that!
Timing Your Close (10-15 minutes before end)
Give Adequate Warning
About 10-15 minutes before your scheduled end time, make an announcement:
"We have about 10 minutes left in our KC7 investigation! This is a good time to:
Finish up the challenge you're working on
Submit any final answers you'd like to try
Take a moment to reflect on what you discovered
Don't worry if you haven't finished everything - that's completely normal. Most participants continue their investigation after the event, and your progress is saved in your account."
Pro tip: Many participants will be deeply focused. Give them time to reach a natural stopping point rather than abruptly ending mid-challenge.
Prepare Your Closing Materials
While participants finish up:
Open your host dashboard to view final standings
Have your closing remarks ready (see templates below)
Prepare any prizes or certificates if you're distributing them
Queue up the participant survey link or forms
Celebrate Everyone First
Before announcing winners, recognize the entire group's effort and achievement.
Sample Group Recognition
"Let's take a moment to appreciate what you all accomplished today:
You learned real cybersecurity investigation techniques - the same tools and methods used by professional security analysts every day.
You persevered through challenging problems - these puzzles are designed to be difficult, and getting stuck is part of the learning process.
You discovered insights in data - you've seen how digital detectives piece together evidence to solve mysteries.
Whether you completed 3 challenges or 13, you've grown your skills today. That's worth celebrating!"**
Acknowledge Specific Moments
If you noticed particularly great moments during the event, call them out:
"I loved seeing so many people helping each other figure out tricky queries"
"Someone discovered a really clever approach to Challenge 7 - that kind of creative thinking is what cybersecurity needs"
"The energy when people had those 'a-ha' moments was amazing to witness"
Why this matters: Participants often feel discouraged if they didn't "win." Celebrating the learning journey first helps everyone feel valued regardless of their score.
Share Final Standings
Announce Winners with Context
After celebrating the group, share the final scoreboard:
"Now let's recognize our top performers today. These participants demonstrated excellent problem-solving and persistence:"
Announce top 3-5 participants:
"In first place: [Name] with [X] points"
"Second place: [Name] with [X] points"
"Third place: [Name] with [X] points"
Add context:
"These scores represent completing [X] out of [Y] total challenges"
"The furthest anyone got was Challenge [X], which is impressive!"
"Several people were neck-and-neck throughout - it was exciting to watch!"
Announce top teams:
"First place team: [Team Name] with [X] points"
"Second place: [Team Name] with [X] points"
"Third place: [Team Name] with [X] points"
Recognize teamwork:
"I saw great collaboration on the winning teams"
"These teams really leveraged their different strengths"
"Team events show that cybersecurity is collaborative work"
Distribute Prizes or Recognition
If you're providing prizes, certificates, or recognition:
Call winners up individually or by team
Take photos (with permission) for promotion/memory
Have everyone applaud each winner
Keep the energy positive and celebratory
For in-person events: This is a great photo opportunity. Capture pictures of winners (and the whole group) for your follow-up communications.
Avoid: Making non-winners feel like they failed. Frame winning as "went the furthest today" rather than "were the best" or "won while others lost."
Share Key Learning Moments
Highlight Real-World Connections
Connect the game experience to actual cybersecurity work:
"What you did today mirrors what professional cybersecurity analysts do:
Investigating logs to find suspicious activity
Querying databases to uncover patterns
Following evidence trails to solve security incidents
Thinking creatively to approach complex problems
The skills you practiced - asking questions, analyzing data, persevering through challenges - these are exactly what the cybersecurity field needs."
Call Out Interesting Findings
Share notable moments or insights from the investigation (without spoiling for those who'll continue later):
"Several of you discovered some really clever ways to query the data"
"I noticed lots of great discussions about how different pieces of evidence connected"
"The story of what happened in Valdoria is fascinating - those who keep investigating will uncover even more"
Reinforce That Struggle Is Learning
"If you felt challenged today, that's good! Nobody becomes a cybersecurity expert in 90 minutes. But you've taken a significant first step, and you now know more than you did two hours ago."
Provide Clear Next Steps
Continue Learning with KC7
Share how participants can keep going:
"Your KC7 account saves your progress, so you can:
Continue 'A Scandal in Valdoria' from exactly where you left off
Try additional KC7 modules to explore different cybersecurity scenarios
Create your own free account at kc7cyber.com to access more content
The learning doesn't have to stop here!"
Connect to Broader Resources
Point to additional opportunities:
For Students:
"Talk to your teachers about bringing KC7 into the classroom"
"Look into cybersecurity clubs, courses, or competitions at your school"
"Explore cybersecurity degree programs or certifications for the future"
For Professionals:
"Consider cybersecurity training programs at your organization"
"Look into industry certifications if you're interested in this field"
"Many cybersecurity careers don't require coding - investigation skills matter too"
For Everyone:
"Follow KC7 on social media for new modules and updates"
"Join cybersecurity communities to keep learning"
"Share your experience with others who might be interested"
Gather Feedback
Request Survey Completion
Before participants leave, ask them to complete your feedback survey:
"We want to make KC7 events even better. Please take 2 minutes to complete our participant survey before you go. Your feedback helps us improve future events."
Share the survey via:
Displayed link or QR code
Chat message (virtual events)
Email sent immediately
Handout or card (in-person)
Informal Feedback
Invite verbal reactions:
"What was your favorite part of the investigation?"
"What was most challenging?"
"Would you recommend this to a friend?"
Listen for patterns in responses to inform your next event.
Create Smooth Transitions
For In-Person Events
Logistics to address:
"Thank you for being here! You're welcome to stay and chat, or head out as you're ready"
"Please take any materials you'd like to keep"
"Return any borrowed equipment to the front table"
"Make sure you have all your belongings"
Stay available:
Linger for 10-15 minutes for one-on-one questions
Have your contact information available for follow-up
Take group photos if anyone wants them
For Virtual Events
Wrap up clearly:
"Thank you all for joining us virtually today!"
"I'll stay on for a few minutes if anyone has questions"
"Check your email for the survey link and follow-up resources"
"Feel free to unmute and share any final thoughts before we close"
Post-meeting:
Send follow-up email within 24 hours
Include survey link, resources, and thank you
Share photos or highlights if available
Sample Closing Script
Here's a complete closing script you can adapt:
"Alright everyone, let's bring our KC7 investigation to a close.
First, I want to recognize all of you. What you accomplished today is impressive. You learned real cybersecurity skills, tackled genuinely challenging problems, and showed great persistence. Whether you completed 3 challenges or 13, you've grown as a digital detective today.
I loved watching you help each other, ask thoughtful questions, and have those exciting 'a-ha' moments when something clicked. This is exactly the kind of curiosity and determination the cybersecurity field needs.
Now, let's celebrate our top performers: [announce winners with scores]
These scores are fantastic, and everyone should be proud of what they achieved today.
Remember - what you did today is what professional cybersecurity analysts do every day: investigating logs, following evidence, and solving complex puzzles to protect organizations. The skills you practiced matter in the real world.
Your progress is saved in your KC7 account, so you can continue the investigation anytime at kc7cyber.com. I encourage you to keep going - the story gets even more interesting!
Before you go, please take 2 minutes to complete our feedback survey [share link]. Your input helps us make these events even better.
Thank you all for being here and bringing such great energy. Stay curious, keep learning, and who knows - maybe some of you will become cybersecurity professionals one day!
Any final questions or thoughts before we close?"
Post-Closing Actions
Immediate Follow-Up (Same Day)
Within 48 Hours
Ongoing
See Post-Event Follow-Up for complete next steps.
Tips from Experienced Hosts
"I always end by saying 'cybersecurity needs people who think like you' - it helps everyone feel that they belong in this field." - University Professor
"Taking a group photo at the end creates a sense of accomplishment and gives me great promotional material for future events." - Corporate Event Organizer
"I ask participants to share one word describing their experience. You get amazing responses like 'challenging,' 'eye-opening,' 'fun' - it's a great energizing close." - High School Teacher
Common Closing Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing the close - Don't shortchange this important moment. Take the full 15 minutes to properly celebrate and wrap up.
Only celebrating winners - Recognize the entire group's achievement before announcing top scores.
Forgetting next steps - Participants want to know "what now?" Give them clear paths to continue learning.
Skipping feedback collection - Survey responses are invaluable for improving your future events.
Related Resources
Event Day Guide
Follow-Up Actions
Templates & Scripts
Event FAQs
Remember: The closing is participants' lasting impression of your event. End with celebration, inspiration, and clear next steps to maximize the impact of their KC7 experience.
Last updated