The nonprofit Center for Cyber Safety and Education (Center) is providing 1,300 local elementary students with a Garfield-led online safety education program, thanks to a donation from area cybersecurity professionals.

With the gift from the (ISC)² Hawaii Chapter , media specialists serving the seven elementary schools at the Leilehua Complex will conduct the award-winning Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures lesson with students before they go on spring break. The online instructor-led lesson allows students to learn digital citizenship through interactive storybooks, online class discussions, and engaging Garfield cartoons via their home computer.

“It’s rewarding to collaborate with professional organizations that want to give back to the community with the Adopt a School initiative,” says Patrick Craven, director of the Center. “Garfield provides high-quality, engaging materials students can relate to when learning internet safety best practices.”

During the lesson, children will learn safe posting best practices with an emphasis on social media. Youth will watch an original Garfield and Friends cartoon where Nermal uses social media to share what he’s doing all the time; from what he’s eating for breakfast to how he’s celebrating the good grade he got on his school report. Children learn to identify scenarios when sharing too much information can put them in danger, and the steps they must take to stay safe and secure online.

In the nonprofit Center for Cyber Safety and Education’s Children’s Internet Usage Study of elementary school children in grades 4-8, the findings include:

• 90% have at least one device (phone, tablet, or computer in their bedroom) to access the internet
• 40% have connected or chatted with a stranger online. Of those youth, 53% shared their phone number, 30% texted the stranger, and 15% tried to meet the stranger
• 91% of teens are sharing photos of themselves

“Having access to a mainstream media resource, like Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures, allows us to teach students about cybersecurity in a fun and engaging way,” says Jenny Yamamoto, LHS librarian, and Grant Toyooka, LMW Resource Teacher, at the Leilehua Complex. “This resource also helps us entice teachers to learn more about cybersecurity (and Computer Science) as it makes the content user-friendly.  With today’s heavy reliance on technology and online navigation, Digital Citizenship is a top priority.”

Lito Alvarez, (ISC)² Hawaii Chapter President, said “As technology advances, our youth will be growing up in a cyber environment.  We, as parents and leaders need to take charge of cyber awareness for our youth. We’re proud to be a sponsor of the Garfield program to facilitate cyber awareness for our youth.” 

For more information on how your company, chapter, or school can get involved visit IAmCyberSafe.org