In a proactive effort to combat cyberbullying before the school year starts, The Safe Center, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, the leading victim service organization on Long Island, presented a special Back to School Safety program to more than 100 incoming freshmen and new students at Malverne High School today, to start off the school year on a positive and knowledgeable note.
“For incoming 9th graders it’s important they know how to report bullying and to stickup for other people who are being bullied,” said Jennifer Rowland, Director of Education, The Safe Center. “It’s not something that stops when kids leave school. It’s 24-7. They have enough to deal with being teenagers. We don’t want them suffering from online bullying as well.”
In a one hour interactive session, Safe Center presenters shared ways teens can keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, including in person and online. The program was created in partnership with the Malverne School District after COVID and seeks to rebuild fundamental foundational skills for kids who spent much of their developing middle school years in remote learning.
This is the first year the Malverne School District has offered the program, presented on a day where kids and parents come to gather information on entering high school for the first time.
“We try to set the foundation for the school year and deliver positive and important information,” said Kesha Bascomb, Principal, Malverne HS. “We want to talk about cyberbullying, online safety and mental health so that they understand how to be safe.”
The session also touched on cyber security, malware and phishing links and how to protect from identity theft, such as using random passwords and not sharing personal information like home addresses and phone numbers on social media.
“It’s not something that happens all the time, but when it does happen, it gets you going,” said Luciana Valerio, 14, an incoming freshman at Malverne High School who says she was targeted when she was juts 8 years old, when an online “troll” sent her insulting messages. “It’s scary.”
Rowland says online activity can turn into in-person danger, including stalking, abuse and assault.
“We’re doing these sessions all over Nassau County, from Kindergarten through High School,” said Rowland. “It’s part of a continuum of education to help kids know how to be safe and how to find a trusted adult when they experience this behavior.”
About The Safe Center
The Safe Center, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, is the leading victim service organization in Nassau County, providing comprehensive and trauma-informed services for victims of interpersonal violence including domestic violence, child sexual and severe physical abuse, rape and sexual assault, human trafficking, and elder abuse. In 2014, The Safe Center was created by the merger of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (founded in 1978) and the Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect (founded in 1979). This merger created a highly integrated service model to empower victims of interpersonal violence to recover from their abuse. The Safe Center operates a 24-hour Hotline (516-542-0404) providing crisis intervention, access to services, and information and support. Visit https://www.tscli.org for more information. Follow The Safe Center on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.