The event will bring together middle school students from across the region to empower them and educate them on the importance of cyber safety in today’s digital world.
Amid increasing concerns over online enticement and internet dangers, recent data from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) highlights the need to educate children about the dark side of the internet. From 2020 to 2023, nearly 476 children reported missing were targeted through online enticement, and 59% of these children were under the age of 15, with 18% under 13. These statistics underscore the urgent need to protect and educate young people in a landscape where digital interactions are constant.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the return of our Cyber Safety Summit,” said John Sammons, associate director of the Marshall ICS. “Children and parents in our communities need support and resources in an increasingly digital world, and we are pleased to partner with our local schools and others to give them the tools they need.”
James Lanham, an instructor/researcher with the ICS who is coordinating the summit, said thousands of students are expected.
“This is an important event, and we are pleased that approximately 2,500 students from the region are expected to attend, along with their teachers and staff,” Lanham said. “We also are hosting about 15 to 20 government organizations as part of the education day.”
Participating schools include those from Cabell, Putnam and Wayne counties in West Virginia and Chesapeake and Coal Grove in Ohio, among others.
Media are invited to cover the event. The day’s schedule is as follows:
- Student arrival: 9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
- Summit Program: 9:30 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
- Lunch: 11:40 a.m. (approximate)
- Student departure: 12:15 p.m.