NASRO and i-SAFE Partnership Promotes Internet Safety

Mutual Interest in Education and Outreach Programs for Students, Parents, Law Enforcement

The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) and i-SAFE, the leader in Internet safety education announce a partnership to give NASRO members training, resources and materials to educate and empower students, parents, community members, and law enforcement across the country to be safe online. NASRO personnel will teach i-SAFE's dynamic K-12 curriculum in the classroom and promote i-SAFE Youth Empowerment and Outreach Campaigns in their communities.

The need for such programs stems from the rapid growth of the Internet, which has become a catalyst for the widespread victimization of children. "With increased Internet usage among students of all grade levels, the potential for crimes against students increases as well," says NASRO Executive Director Dick Caster. Consider the latest results from i-SAFE's National Assessment Center (NAC) of online surveys submitted by 5th - 8th grade students nationwide:

--  87% of students say that they spend at least 1 hour per week on the
    Internet; 18% spend 10 hours or more on the Internet each week (n = 34,114)
--  52% of students stated that they use the Internet "usually" or "often"
    when adults are not in the same room (n = 20,806)
--  18% of students said that they are most likely to do something on the
    Internet that is unsafe, inappropriate or illegal while they are at home (n
    = 20,869)
--  14% of students admit that they have visited gambling Web sites (n =
    20,960)
--  4% of students reported that they have used the Internet to obtain
    drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes (n = 21,908)
--  11% of students stated that they have purchased illegally burned CDs
    from the Internet (n = 12,532)
    

i-SAFE goes beyond simple Internet safety awareness found in other programs by featuring an innovative, interactive, student-centered curriculum for grades K-12. By integrating best practices in both teaching and learning, knowledge and skills are not only taught, but retained by students.

"The i-SAFE Program blends classroom lessons with community outreach designed to foster active participation between students and their instructors, and empowers students to reach out to their peers through mentoring activities as well as to their parents and community members," says Teri Schroeder, i-SAFE CEO and Program Director.

"NASRO members certified by i-SAFE, teach in the classroom and can be instrumental in raising awareness in the community by positively influencing students' online behavior."

i-LEARN Online (http://ilearn.isafe.org) certifies NASRO members online through comprehensive video tutorials of Internet safety concepts which outlines i-SAFE curricula for grades K-12, details outreach campaigns for students, parents, and law enforcement, and explains how to implement the i-SAFE Program.

"NASRO firmly believes in the prevention-oriented Internet safety awareness programs of i-SAFE," says Caster. "They are powerful and an effective resource for teaching students how to use the Internet confidently and safely. Therefore, in keeping with NASRO's mission to create safe and secure learning environments and to provide preventive educational programs that contribute to the wellbeing of students, NASRO seeks to enhance Internet safety education, community outreach and youth empowerment efforts by developing a formal working relationship with i-SAFE."

About NASRO

Founded in 1991, the National Association of School Resource Officers is the largest not-for-profit organization serving approximately 9,000 law enforcement officers and educators charged with the responsibility of providing safe and secure schools for the students of our nation. Totally dedicated to the concept of "safer schools, safer kids," our members are the individuals in the schools on a daily basis ensuring that the school environment is conducive to quality learning and teaching.

NASRO is designated a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization by IRS. It is a member driven not-for-profit whose main mission is to provide on-going training to law enforcement and school personnel in the area of school safety and security.

About i-SAFE Inc.

Founded in 1998 and active in all 50 states, i-SAFE Inc. is the leader in Internet safety education. i-SAFE is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate and empower students, parents, seniors, and community members to safely and responsibly take control of their Internet experiences. i-SAFE provides knowledge that will enable them to recognize and avoid dangerous, destructive, or unlawful online behavior, and to respond appropriately. This is accomplished through dynamic K through 12 curriculum and community-outreach programs to students, parents, law enforcement, and community leaders. i-SAFE is the only Internet safety foundation to combine these elements. www.isafe.org

i-SAFE Inc. is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization. i-SAFE Inc. is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice.