The internet is a wonderful resource but the potential for danger is there. Our Optimist Club Can Help:	Chairperson Optimist Karen Mobley
	Statistics show that 99% of all teens have access to the internet and 94% of students admitted to being cyber bullied and did not tell an adult. The importance of protecting the children in our community is a major undertaking and our Optimist Club can play a vital role.
	Your young people use this Web Slang, lingo, and acronyms when in chat rooms, Instant Messages, and Text Messaging. Check it out at this website. http://www.web-friend.com/help/lingo/chatslang.html
	We have these programs that we would be happy to present to your group no matter how large or small Adult Internet Safety Education This program is offered to adult groups of any size in order to educate them about the dangers on the internet that young people can unknowingly fall into. There is information and suggestions on how to keep children safe while navigating the online world and what adults can do to protect young people using the internet.
	Faux Paw, the Techno Cat The Faux Paw program is designed for children in first through fourth grades and teaches about the dangers of Internet Safety through an animated story. This program is also designed to be presented by Optimist Clubs to a group of any size.
	Just a few of the startling facts concerning our youth and the Internet
	1 in 7 children (ages 10-17) receives a sexual solicitation or approach via the internet in a one-year period (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, 2006)
	Kids (8-18) average 6.5 hours per day using electronic media (“Generation M,” Kaiser Family Foundation 2005).
	Think of how much time children you know spent using electronic media over their recent winter break. It’s time to educate children and the adults around them.
	Knowledge is a powerful tool, but many parents and teachers don’t know exactly what is happening when the youth around them get online. Think about this:
	56% of teens receive requests for personal information; 12% of “tweens” (8-12) receive these requests (Polly Klaas Foundation, 2006)
	48% of mothers still admit they don't know what their kids do online (Harris Interactive-McAfee, October 2008)
	77% of teens have a personal profile available online, 40% of which say it is viewable by all persons (Pew Internet & American Life Project: Social Networking Websites and Teens, January 2007)
	If you think that “cyber-bullying” is uncommon, please keep reading:
	80% of students are aware of cases of cyber-bullying (TechLearning: Cyber-bullying, Part 2, February 2008)
	66% of mothers of teens are just as or more concerned about their teenagers' online safety as they are about drunk driving (62%) and experimenting with drugs (65%) (Harris Interactive-McAfee, October 2008).
	If you think the youth around you are educated enough about online dos and don’ts, consider this:
	54% frequently have private conversations with online strangers through instant messaging; 10% of “tweens” (8-12) (Polly Klaas Foundation, 2006
	FOR MORE INFORMATION AND/OR SCHEDULE A PRESENTATION PLEASE
	Click here to return to the top of this page