THE NEED FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE SUPPORT ON CAMPUS
SEEMS TOO DAUNTING FOR A NATIONWIDE SOLUTION.
IT IS NOT.
WE HAVE ONE.

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. 

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

The Cybersmile Foundation is a multi-award winning anti-cyberbullying nonprofit organization. Committed to tackling all forms of digital abuse, harassment and bullying online, we work to promote kindness, diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community.

Through education, innovative awareness campaigns and the promotion of positive digital citizenship we reduce incidents of cyberbullying and through our professional help and support services we empower victims and their families to regain control of their lives.

Founded in 2010, Cybersmile has grown to become the world’s leading anti-cyberbullying nonprofit organization. Registered as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization in the U.S. and as a registered charity in the U.K. – Cybersmile provides expert support, resources and consultancy to individuals, governments, corporations and educational institutions around the world.

Our educational programs, support services and messages of hope and positivity reach millions of people around the world each year, whilst maintaining our core values of integrity, equality and compassion – the Cybersmile hallmark.

Our mission is a simple one – we believe that everybody should have the right to access and enjoy our connected world.

Unfortunately, cyberbullying, harassment and digital abuse is increasing, holding many back from enjoying the benefits that access to the internet can provide. Our current online environment lacks the balance and social rules of engagement that have been cultivated over generations, governing the behavior and relationships in the communities where we live, play and work – the physical world.

The Cybersmile Foundation are committed to helping everyone realize their true potential by supporting those that are bullied and abused online, changing the behavior of the bullies themselves and through education – preparing this and further generations for a safe and positive digital future.

Our ‘Tri-Pillar’ model is based on three primary areas or ‘pillars’ of activity – Awareness, Education and Support. Cybersmile believe that a focus on all three of these pillars is important for maximum social impact.

Our model provides strong program foundations with opportunity for balanced growth, scalability and sustainability.
THE CYBERSMILE FOUNDATION 

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BY CANDICE ODGERS | JUNE 18, 2018

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Half of parents today think that their children are addicted to smartphones, and these parents are concerned about how mobile phones will affect their kids’ mental health, according to a new survey from Common Sense Media and SurveyMonkey. Each day, we hear that smartphones and social media are making our children—particularly teenagers—lazy, addicted, lonely, uninterested in having sex, too interested in viewing sex, and unable to function in the real world.

But our fear is misplaced; there is no compelling evidence that spending time online has a deleterious effect on teens’ mental health.

Young people today represent one of the most educated, least violent, and most socially connected generations the world has seen. Before you assume that I am being paid by a tech giant or have some Pollyanna view of adolescents, I should disclose that I am a psychologist and have spent my career studying mental health problems among young people. Mental disorders represent a real problem for a significant number of kids—up to one in five children under the age of 18 suffers from a mental disorder—and this was true long before smartphones were placed in their hands.

That’s why reports that smartphones are causing mental health problems among adolescents have caught my attention. If true, this link would be a major breakthrough in clinical practice. Parents, clinicians, and educators would have an easily identifiable target for addressing mental health problems among teens. It could revolutionize our prevention efforts and save lives.

It was disappointing, then, to learn that smartphones are unlikely to blame for this generation’s reported increases in serious mental health problems like depression. There is no good evidence yet that smartphone or social media use is driving these increases. When I looked past the headlines and at the data, I usually found no association between time spent online and mental health for most teens. When there was a link, it was tiny, with an unclear relationship between cause and effect.

Does this mean that paying attention to the amount of time teenagers spend glued to their devices does not matter? Absolutely not. Future studies may uncover negative effects; as of now, there are very few rigorous, large-scale studies available. This needs to change so we can responsibly monitor and respond to any risks.

In the meantime, we do know that young people who are already vulnerable or struggling in their offline lives receive less guidance navigating the online world. Parents in wealthier homes are more likely to actively mediate their child’s online activities—by talking about them, suggesting ways to use the Internet more safely, or joining in.

Among wealthy nations, income gaps in Internet and device access are shrinking, but a new type of digital divide is emerging. Youth in higher-income homes spend more time than disadvantaged kids in reading the news and searching out information online. In the U.S., teens in low-income families spend a greater share of time online using social media and watching videos. Teens from low-income families are more likely to report negative digital experiences such as cyberbullying, and social media experiences that spill over to create problems at school and with peers.

For parents and teachers, this means that phones may serve as mirrors reflecting problems or struggles that would otherwise be missed. It also means that already vulnerable teens may require additional support. A growing opportunity gap in access to resources, opportunities, and adult investment has emerged over the last 25 years as income inequality has accelerated, especially among families with children. It would be sad indeed to see this gap replicate itself in the online world.

The digital world is not creating a new species of teenagers. Many things that draw teens to smartphones—the need to socially connect, seek novel experiences, and learn about the world—are the sorts of things they have always sought. Just as in the offline world, there are light and dark places online that young people need our help to navigate.

But to effectively guide them, we will need to stop screaming about smartphones and start collaboratively building a digital world based on evidence—not fear. While adults obsess about teens and screen-time, real threats around data security, privacy, and loss of autonomy will continue to go unchecked. Worse, it could cause us to miss the real determinants of mental health problems among our kids.

So does all of the worrying about teenagers and their smartphones matter? Maybe. But likely not in the way we would expect. It turns out that parents spend far more time arguing with their kids about how much time they are spending online than they do discussing with them what they’re doing online. It’s time for a different approach.

This article was originally published on Fortune. Read the original article.

A boy who was hospitalized after being sucker-punched at a Moreno Valley middle school campus has died, Riverside County Sheriff's Department officials announced Wednesday.

The victim, identified only as 13-year-old Diego, is seen in a family photo.

The boy was critically injured in the attack on Sept. 16 at Landmark Middle School. He has not been identified formally by authorities, but family and school officials said his name was Diego. 

Two boys, also 13, have been arrested in connection with the assault, which was caught on video and created an uproar in the community. The boys remain in custody in juvenile hall and are facing prosecution, officials said. 

Days after the fight, Diego's condition had been updated to stable but critical condition. On Wednesday, he "was pronounced clinically dead last night as a result of injuries sustained in the attack," officials said in a Facebook post.

"Rigorous medical intervention and treatment efforts at an area hospital were unsuccessful," sheriff's officials said in the Facebook page announcing the victim's death. "The Sheriff’s Department joins the community in mourning the loss of this young man."

Deputies responded to the campus, located at 15261 Legendary Drive, about 1:10 p.m. the afternoon of the incident.

Cellphone video that circulated on social media showed the boy being hit in the face by one boy, then sucker-punched on the side of his head by another. The second punch caused him to fall and hit his head against a pillar.

The boy who hit Diego first then hurries over to punch him again while he's on the ground, the video shows. That boy then runs off and the video ends.

Diego was then rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

Classmates told KTLA that Diego had been previously bullied, including on social media. They also indicated violence has been an ongoing problem at the school.

Two days after the attack, hundreds of parents turned out to a meeting with the Moreno Valley Unified School District and expressed anger and uneasiness over how officials handled bullying cases.

A vigil will be held for Diego at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the middle school, according to the Facebook page Moreno Valley Matters.

The district will provide additional counselors and support personnel on campus to help students employees and families, spokesperson Anahi Velasco said in an email.

"As we mourn together, we also want to come together to find solutions and to take the necessay  

steps so that tragic incidents like this do not happen again," Velasco said.

A community meeting scheduled for Thursday evening has been postponed and the district will instead hold a remembrance ceremony for Diego at the middle school from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Authorities Investigate Whether Moreno Valley Student Was Bullied Before Filmed Attack on Campus
• Middle School Student in Stable but Critical Condition After Being Sucker Punched on Moreno Valley Campus
• Many Parents Remain Uneasy After Meeting to Discuss Recent Violence at Middle School in Moreno Valley

Melania Trump  

First Lady of the United States

The mission of BE BEST is to focus on some of the major issues facing children today, with the goal of encouraging children to BE BEST in their individual paths, while also teaching them the importance of social, emotional, and physical health. BE BEST will concentrate on three main pillars: well-being, online safety, and opioid abuse.

BE BEST will champion the many successful well-being programs that provide children with the tools and skills required for emotional, social, and physical health.  The campaign will also promote established organizations, programs, and people who are helping children overcome some of the issues they face growing up in the modern world.

 Tonya Harris and her daughter Lyndsey joined Lu Parker and Christina Pascucci on the KTLA 5 Morning News at 11a. 

• Children tell their parents to switch off the wireless router or turn their mobile into flight mode, because they learned about the risks at school.
• Teachers are learning about microwave radiation exposure safety as part of their continued health and safety education.
• Every parent has easy access to information about the risks of wireless technology and microwave radiation exposure, and is able to make informed decisions about the use of their family’s wireless devices.
• IT specialists work together with occupational health and facilities managers, before building Wi-Fi / 3G / 4G / 5G working environments in an office: assessing the risks and ensuring all reasonable measures are taken to create a safer working environment.

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