By Kathy Chouteau
Richmond’s Michelle Obama School is set to be the lucky recipient of 500 cyber safety workbooks entitled “Ready, Get Set, Connect!” thanks to a donation from cloud security leader Menlo Security, which partnered with cyber safety education start-up Cyberlite Books to spread awareness about the workbook for families.
As part of the companies’ collective outreach, Cyberlite Books Co-founder Nina Bual will also host two virtual Cyber Safety workshops during May at Michelle Obama School for parents and students. Presented by Bual, the workshops will educate families about how they can minimize cyber risks. Included in the mix will be info about how to support children in coping with online safety issues.
Written for children ages eight and up, Ready, Get Set, Connect! is an interactive workbook that takes readers on a journey through cyberspace “to explore the wonders and perils of the online world,” according to Cyberlite Books.
It will come as no surprise that over the last year, children have spent more time online during the pandemic, stated Menlo Security. According to research, 60 percent of parents indicated their children spent no more than three hours on devices pre-pandemic. Now, 70 percent of parents estimate their children spend a minimum of four hours with screens. With “screen time likely to only skyrocket come summer, initiatives like this are crucial to keeping kids safe in the digital age,” stated Menlo Security.
“In March of 2020 we had to quickly pivot to online schooling for our students. We learned something new every day, including the enormous challenges we faced working to keep our students safe in an online environment. Children have been spending an increased amount of time online using it to socialize and learn, potentially exposing them to more cyber risks than ever before. The workshops and workbooks that Nina Bual and Menlo Security are providing will help our parents and students understand cyber safety and why it is so important,” said Principal Claudia Velez of Michelle Obama School.
Families who are not part of the Michelle Obama School community and who want to check out the workbook can purchase it here.
