Transitions’ Programs Make Teens Their Top Priority – The Message Works
Since its origin in 2007, Transitions’ Internet Safety
program for Middle and High School students has been presented in nearly 2,000 classrooms
to more than 40,000 students. The
program summarizes a number of safety issues and concerns related to teens being
online through social media sites and chat rooms, talking to others they don’t
know. The Internet Safety program is just one key program
included in the sizable collection of programs for students in our local
schools. Classroom discussions include;
domestic violence, sexual assault prevention, sexual harassment, and healthy
relationships to name a few.
The curriculums are created to build on each other grade by
grade, year after year, with age appropriate dialogue and media. Several schools have arranged their schedules
for the students to participate in multi-session programs within the school
year. This style of programming is more
primary prevention based. Other schools still
continue with the longstanding education and awareness approach to
programs. In this instance I may only see a student once
or twice a year.
What makes this job exceptional is that no matter how often I
see a student they are most always able to tell me what we have talked about
when I was there before. That point has
been proven time and time again. Just
last week our Prevention Education Specialist, Eckie F. was at an elementary
school where the children there told her they remembered what they discussed
during her previous visits. Most
importantly, however, they told her how the safety strategies she practiced with
them ultimately ended up helping them to stay safe when faced with similar experiences
as the ones she described.
Many times we have had students tell us how our lessons are
helpful and empower them to make good choices.
Staying safe on the internet is our prime objective for this
program. It’s important that the
students make sure they are always well-informed and that there is always a
trusted adult they can go to talk with about their safety. The program details how perpetrators target
potential victims and allows us to offer several tips to stay safe. The highlight of the program is the 20 minute
video which follows several teens as they learn that interacting with strangers
on the internet is not always safe.
There are statistics and relevant notes included in the classroom
discussion following the video which assist students in using the internet
safely. The dramatic conclusion holds students on the edge of their seats and
ends in a very unpredictable way. This
video was created by Transitions’ Education Department and produced locally
using area high school drama students as actors. It gained most of its notoriety after receiving
the 14th Annual Communicators Award of Excellence in the category of
social issues in 2008. It has been one
of the most highly requested and effective curriculums for middle and high school
students presented to this day. After
the video, the class takes an in-depth look at all social networking sites like
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others to tackle the questions and emotions
brought forth by the unforeseeable ending.
The program concludes by describing threatening characteristics of an
online predator and sets the framework for strong, knowledgeable, safe
decisions by teens.
In 2011 the curriculum and video were adapted for individuals
with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The message is very similar
to the original program only this includes video chat apps and online gaming
sites. The message is clear, stay safe,
and trust your instincts. If something seems “off ” or you think something
isn’t safe, don’t continue. Look to a
safer solution and make sure what you are doing, or thinking of doing, will
have a positive outcome and not serious consequences.
Recently I had a program with seventh grade students. The program I was planning was on the topic
of sexual harassment, but since my last meeting with them, there had been a
story in the news that pertained to the internet and its dangers. We began our conversation by recalling last
year’s Internet Safety program and how important they felt the message to still
be. Several students in the class had
details about the young girl from Blacksburg, Virginia who recently began
talking to a boy online that she agreed to meet in person. I could tell that they wanted to talk about the
news story that was obviously having a huge impact on this group.
A 13 year old girl from Blacksburg, Virginia disappeared from
her home on the evening of January 27th. Her body was found the following
Saturday. She had been talking to an 18
year old for a couple months and even referred to him as her boyfriend. On the night she disappeared, she apparently barricaded
her bedroom door with a dresser and climbed out of her mother’s apartment window
to meet the Virginia Tech college student in person. The offender has offered
no motive or reason for his actions.
Our commitment to our community is to provide education to
end violence and abuse. It is because of
disturbing events like this one in Virginia and the emotional trauma they bring
about that we need programming in the schools for our students. These students are getting the message and their comprehension of the material is remarkable. The
kids hear what we are saying and they are using the coping skills provided by
Transitions in our programs. The Internet
Safety program continues to hold their attention and inspires profound
discussions and debates. We have
incredibly amazing students in our schools and they are always ready to talk
about safety issues connected to all areas of violence and abuse prevention. Talk
to your kids today. Let them know you
are there for them as one of the trusted adults we always tell them to think
about.
Sources:
Written by: Heather S., Education Director
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