Posted 11:31 am Friday, July 31, 2009
Discovery Science Place Takes 'Byte' Out Of Crime
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By STEWART SMITH
Staff Writer
Children and parents alike have another resource at their disposal to help them learn more about Internet safety at the Suddenlink Cyber Cafe, The Discovery Science Place's newest exhibit.
Staff Writer
Children and parents alike have another resource at their disposal to help them learn more about Internet safety at the Suddenlink Cyber Cafe, The Discovery Science Place's newest exhibit.
Cyber Cafe Organizers Hope To Educate Children, Parents
The exhibit is the result of a partnership called Raising Awareness in Internet Safety through Education, or RAISE, which includes Discovery Science Place, Tyler Independent School District, Suddenlink and the Tyler Police Department. The exhibit is essentially an expansion of a number of community awareness meetings RAISE had conducted regarding Internet safety.
"(We decided), why not have an exhibit (at Discovery Science Place) where the kids get educated, the parents can sit there with them and we have another way of getting this to them," said Angela Jenkins, director of communications for TISD.
The cafe includes a fake coffee bar with plastic pastries for kids to "munch" on and a (non-functional) hot chocolate machine to give the feeling of a coffee shop, but the real meat of the exhibit are the three stations: one for adults and two for kids.
The adult kiosk provides information about how to best monitor kids' internet usage, including internet safety software as well as information regarding the most common internet activities kids engage in.
"This is especially geared toward grandparents since about a third of our visitors who bring kids in are grandparents," said Vel Williams, director of marketing for Discovery Science Place.
The remaining two stations provide kids with access to NetSmartzKids.org, a unique, hands-on experience that includes games, videos and other activities all aimed at informing and educating them on how to surf the Internet safely and also how to react should they encounter a potential internet predator.
New Program To Coach Children On Cyber Safety Tactics
"It's not only about being smart and protecting yourself against dangerous things, but what are the good ways to use the internet, the educational, positive things you can get out of it," said Kate Betancourt, a training manager with Suddenlink.
Given that children are beginning to use the Internet at an increasingly younger age, an educational exhibit like this one is a necessity, said Suddenlink general manager Russell Moreland.
"I had read an article the other day that in this country, 75 percent of 4-year-olds have already used a computer. That is amazing to me," Moreland said. "We have to teach them now what to look out for and what to do if they see a danger sign. It's a necessary function and we want to be part of it."
The Cyber Cafe is open to the public. The Discovery Science Place is located at 308 N. Broadway in downtown Tyler.
Admission is $6 per person, with no charge for children under the age of 2.
For more information about the exhibit, call (903) 533-8011 or visit the Web site at www.discoveryscienceplace.org.
