Slingerlands Elementary School Pupils Learn about Online Safety

ALBANY, NY (06/06/2011)(readMedia)-- Third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at the Slingerlands Elementary School received lessons in Internet safety today from state and federal cyber security experts as part of a campaign to increase the nation's level of online safety.

"Children are New York's and the nation's most valuable resource. They represent our future," said Thomas D. Smith, Director of the New York State Office of Cyber Security (OCS). "Teaching children how to use computers and the Internet safely prepares them to participate in the digital economy and protects them from those who would do them harm."

New York State has partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its national Stop. Think. Connect. public awareness campaign aimed at guiding the nation to a higher level of Internet safety by challenging the public to be more vigilant about practicing good "cyber hygiene." Stop. Think. Connect. encourages Americans to see Internet safety as a shared responsibility – at home, in the workplace, and in our communities –and demonstrates that shared responsibility by bringing together a coalition of federal, state and local government, as well as private sector partners.

Today's program at the Slingerlands Elementary School, in the suburban Bethlehem Central School District in Albany County, demonstrated the national campaign's classroom component called C-SAVE – Cyber Security Awareness Volunteer Education program.

Slingerlands Elementary School Principal Heidi Bonacquist said, "As young children expand their use technology, both for social and academic functions, it is imperative that we provide them with the tools they need to be safe and feel safe. We are very excited to have experts in this field work with our students to teach them some of these strategies."

Volunteers from OCS and DHS went into the third, fourth and fifth-grade classrooms today where they spoke about cyberbullying, cyber ethics and safe online behavior. The interactive talks are 20- 40 minutes and geared to the student's level.

Karen Sorady, Cyber Security Program Coordinator at OCS, said, "The Internet is a powerful tool. The consequences associated with unethical or illegal activity in the cyber world are staggering. It is imperative that we teach our children the proper way to use the Internet before giving them access.

"The C-SAVE program was exciting to be a part of. The kids were really engaged and surprised us with how much they already knew. It was a great learning experience for all who were involved, students and mentors alike," Sorady said. "Our office is looking forward to bringing the program to more schools within New York State in the future."

The need for C-SAVE emerged from the National Cyber Safety Alliance's 2008 National Cybersafety, Cyberethics, Cybersecurity Baseline Study that surveyed educators and their ability to address cyber security in the classroom. The study found that only 10 percent of educators received more than six hours of professional development on cyber security; only 22 percent are comfortable teaching about cyber bullying, identity theft and other types of cyber crime; only 23 percent feel prepared to teach students how to protect their personal information online.

To learn more about C-SAVE, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/files/events/gc_1285863484637.shtm.

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