State Partnerships
The goal of the NetSmartz Workshop is to extend the safety awareness of children to prevent victimization and increase self-confidence whenever they go online. NetSmartz uses the latest technology to create age-appropriate activities that educate, entertain, and empower today’s youth on the Internet. NetSmartz offers free online safety resources at www.NetSmartz.org and www.NetSmartzKids.org. In addition to using the sites, states can partner with NetSmartz in order to make this Internet safety resource easily accessible for parents, guardians, educators, law enforcement, and youth leaders in their state. The NetSmartz Workshop is available at no cost to participating states.
Why partner with NetSmartz?
Through NetSmartz, partners have an outlet to raise Internet safety awareness in their state. The NetSmartz Workshop provides the state office with support in launching an Internet safety public awareness campaign using the NetSmartz Workshop content. The partnership can also include downloadable versions of the computer activities to install on school computers.
How does NetSmartz partner with a specific state?
A state can partner on any or all of the commitment levels. State web sites can link to NetSmartz or create a page for kids with information about Internet safety. Law-enforcement officers can be trained to give presentations in the community. The Department of Education can implement a statewide roll-out of NetSmartz in schools. Public-Service Announcements can be aired on local cable stations to get children interested in the site where they can learn invaluable lessons. There are several other ways to implement NetSmartz content for free in schools and communities. Each state can choose the level that best fits its needs.
Getting Started
NetSmartz assists states with an implementation plan, training, and press announcements. Individuals interested in bringing NetSmartz to their state should have their state board of education, law enforcement, or government officials contact NetSmartz to initiate a partnership.
Details of Partnerships
Educators can access downloadable versions of NetSmartz activities in their classroom. The program tracks a child's progress and an Internet safety certificate can be printed out at the completion of the activities. NetSmartz creates a state page and the state hosts the files on their server. For example, Utah's state page can be found at www.NetSmartz.org/education/ut.
Law-enforcement officers can be trained by the state to take NetSmartz Internet safety presentations for grades K-2, 3-6, middle- and high-school, and parents/communities into the community. To receive presentation CDs, please contact the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program at www.icactraining.org.
Links and banners can be used to support the state’s efforts of providing access to Internet safety materials to all families in the state.
If interested, a state can purchase NetSmartz Workshop promotional items with or without the state logo to be distributed.
History of the NetSmartz Workshop and State Partnerships
The relationship between the NetSmartz Workshop and specific states began in October 2002. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff’s office contacted NetSmartz to see how Utah could partner with the NetSmartz Workshop to bring Internet safety education to schools in the state. General Shurtleff was impressed with the NetSmartz program and the fact that NetSmartz is a partnership between the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Representatives from states have approached NetSmartz when seeking Internet safety prevention education materials.
Timeline of Current State Partnerships
March 2003
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced that Utah schools would implement the NetSmartz Workshop during the 2003-2004 school year. Utah became the first state to adopt the NetSmartz Workshop into a school Internet safety initiative.
October 2003
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard announced his partnership with NetSmartz, the Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs (BGCA), Arizona Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to provide Internet safety education to communities in Arizona.
February 2004
Former New Hampshire Attorney General Peter Heed announced that schools would begin to implement the NetSmartz Workshop via pilot-testing in seven schools, followed by a statewide roll-out during the 2004-2005 school year.
March 2004
The Missouri Research and Education Network (MOREnet), in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the State Library, announced a partnership with the NetSmartz Workshop to implement NetSmartz into its schools.
July 2004
Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter announced his partnership with NetSmartz. Parents, educators, and law enforcement can access to downloadable versions of NetSmartz Internet safety activities from his web site.
January 2005
Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr announced his commitment to keeping children and teens safer on the Internet by partnering with the NetSmartz Workshop. Louisiana educators and law enforcement will be working with ICAC and BGCA throughout the state.
April 2005
Wyoming Attorney General Pat Crank, in partnership with the NetSmartz Workshop, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, trained teachers and law enforcement in Sheraton and Johnson County school districts on how to use NetSmartz materials in their schools. Future trainings are expected.
May 2005
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers launched the “Attorney General’s Safe Surfing Initiative” to help keep kids safer in Colorado.
Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey launched NetSmartz as a tool to help protect children from possible dangers on the Internet and a resource for parents and educators.
June 2005
Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro announced the addition of a kids’ page on his site. The site provides educational activities and games in an effort to keep kids safer online.
August 2005
South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster announced that the Florence County Sheriff’s Department has joined the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to train South Carolina's School-Resource Officers.
Maine Attorney General Rowe, Education Commissioner Sue Gendron and Public Safety Commissioner Michael Cantara announced that NetSmartz will be available to Maine teachers, students, and parents.
NetSmartz is present in all 50 states through Boys & Girls Clubs (BGCA) and state Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces (ICAC).
December 2005
Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist announced his partnership with NetSmartz to bring Internet safety to the state of Florida. Downloadable activities are available through a state page to the state. Efforts also continue with regional partnerships.
January 2006
District of Columbia Attorney General Robert J. Spagnoletti announced the partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help kids stay safer on the Internet. General Spagnoletti hosted an Internet safety assembly created by NetSmartz in partnership with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) Program.
February 2006
Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline announced that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kansas has been awarded the first Young Kansans ñ Safe Kids Grant to take the NetSmartz online safety program statewide.
NetSmartz is present in all 50 states through Boys & Girls Clubs (BGCA) and state Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces (ICAC). NetSmartz has local partnerships in the following states: Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Please contact the NetSmartz Workshop to find out how to bring a statewide partnership to your area.