Powerful 'Program in a Box' to Offer Your Members: Internet Safety 101: Empowering Parents      

Did you know that in 2008, Virginia PTA, in partnership with the non-profit organization Enough is Enough, supplied to each PTA unit a copy of "Internet Safety 101: Empowering Parents," a multimedia, educational teaching program for 

parents, guardians, caregivers and educators? Each program packet included a workbook and accompanying DVD, made possible by a $64,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation. Virginia was the pilot and first state to be involved with this program before a national launch in 2010.

In 2007, Virginia PTA formed an Internet Safety Task Force to work with Enough Is Enough on developing key elements of the Internet Safety 101 program, based on interviews with law enforcement professionals, internet safety experts, industry leaders, psychologists, researchers, clinicians, parents, teens and victims. The 101 program covers current and emerging online threats and presents information to educate and equip parents on safety basics that can be applied across all internet-enabled devices.

If you have not seen this packet, it is packaged in a grey "laptop" package, (pictured above), please talk to the PTA leaders featured in the packet from fall 2008, spring 2009. This program is so easy to use whether one parent is viewing it in the privacy of their own home or 50+ parents and concerned citizens are viewing it in an assembly hall.  The program almost runs itself, and does not require a technology or Internet Safety expert be present in order to get maximum benefit of the information presented. 

We encourage each local unit, council and district to offer this program in their school communities opening the program to civic leagues, churches, scouting groups—wherever parents and caregivers gather so that as many children as possible can benefit from this program, keeping children as safe in their online world as they are offline. For more information or updates to your program, visit Internet Safety 101.org