"Cyber Safety Mentors" Program Launches in the Boston Public Schools

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced the expansion of the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Internet safety campaign with the launch of the "Cyber Safety Mentors" program. Funded in part by a $25,000 grant from Microsoft, the program will train Boston public high school students beginning this summer in on-line safety, and the students will then train other students in their schools and mentor younger students in elementary schools and in the community.

"The City of Boston has long been a leader in bringing technology into our schools," Menino said. "We were the first urban public school district to wire all of our classrooms to the Internet. We've launched one-to-one laptop programs. We have Technology Goes Home, providing training and computers to families. And we've begun to pilot wireless access in schools and homes in Grove Hall. Access is decreasingly a problem in Boston. Now, we are providing students and their families with the knowledge they need to navigate the Internet safely and properly."

The Mayor was joined by Boston School Committee Chair Elizabeth Reilinger, BPS Superintendent Michael G. Contompasis, Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Healey in making the announcement at Boston Latin Academy.

Ted MacLean, Microsoft general manager for the Northeast, presented the $25,000 donation to the campaign to hire ten technically talented high school students to train to be the first group of "Cyber Safety Mentors" as part of the Internet safety campaign. The students will use their graphic design and video skills to produce educational materials to teach younger students about how to stay safe online. The students will conduct Internet Safety workshops in community centers and other programs during the summer, with a goal to reach at least 1,000 children with the Cyber Safety message.

"Internet safety and getting young people excited about careers in technology are two passions of Microsoft, and the Mayor's initiative brings them together in a great way," said MacLean. "Not only will this initiative help keep children safe on the Internet, but it will provide what we hope will be just the first technology job for many Boston high school students."

"Technology provides powerful tools that help our students discover the world," said Contompasis. "But when not used properly, the Internet also can put our children at great risk. We are proud to be taking innovative steps to ensure that Boston students use the Web wisely and safely in school and at home."

The district's Internet safety campaign includes a variety of approaches to protect students of all ages from on-line dangers. The BPS has set a goal of training all BPS students, teachers, and administrators within three years, with the new Cyber Safety Mentors conducting many of the elementary school workshops, in partnership with i-SAFE, a federally-funded non-profit foundation. The campaign also features the BPS "Cyber Super Heroes," created last year by two BPS high school students and a college intern. The cartoon characters have super powers that help young students avoid on-line predators, cyber-bullying, privacy violations, and other hazards in cyberspace. The characters are featured on colorful posters, digital videos, and trading cards distributed to BPS elementary and middle schools.

Menino and school officials also showcased the Boston Public Schools' new Internet safety Web site, designed to be a resource for students, families, and teachers who are looking for educational materials about Internet safety. It will contain student-produced work that can be used by teachers in the classroom and parents at home.