Public and Permanent is coming to Bend on April 29 and to Prineville on April 30. BendBroadband, a regional technology leader, is bringing the award winning internet safety program to Central Oregon: Public and Permanent: Preventing Sexting, Cyber Bullying and Beyond. At two events the program raises awareness about negative, irresponsible and malicious digital behaviors and shows how to reduce the risk of being a victim of cyber-crime, cyber bullying and digital exploitation.
Cyber bullying and risky internet behavior affects teens on a daily basis. According to a study from i-SAFE Foundation, over half of adolescent teens have been bullied online, and the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. Well over half of young people don’t tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.
Recognizing the importance of digital safety issues around sexting, cyber bullying and irresponsible use of apps, BendBroadband partnered with Kids Intervention and Diagnostic Service (KIDS) Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention, evaluation and treatment of child abuse in Central Oregon to bring the Public and Permanent event to the community.
“The internet and digital technologies provide many opportunities and valuable information to our children. However, it’s more critical than ever that both parents and students understand how to be safe online,” says Sonja Donohue, community relations and events Manager at BendBroadband.
“It is important for parents understand internet safety risks and to talk to their children about dangers that exist online and establish appropriate online behaviors for their children.” says Kim Bohme, Prevention Coordinator at KIDS Center.
Richard Guerry, the executive director at the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication (IRoC2), the author of multiple cyber safety and citizenship books will lead the program, showing attendees how to prevent digital issues like sexting, cyber bullying, irresponsible use of apps, poor social media behaviors, and sexual exploitation from happening to your family.
The Bend Public and Permanent event takes place at Bend Senior high school Auditorium, 230 NE Sixth Street Bend, Tuesday, April 29 from 6-8pm. The cost is $5 per adults and children are free, with all proceeds benefiting the KIDS Center.
The event in Prineville takes place on April 30 from 6-8pm at the Crook County COCC Open Campus 510 SE Lynn Blvd, Prineville. The Prineville event is free for adults and their children thanks to BendBroadband and For the Children. Donations of non-perishable food items will be collected for Crook County Food For Kids program.
The training is appropriate for children who are in middle school and above. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
To sign up in advance for either event, register at: http://www.kidscenter.org/component/content/article/2-uncategorised/62-public-and-permanent
Tickets will also be available at the door the day of the event.
BendBroadband is a family-owned, local company serving Central Oregon since 1955. A leader in the cable and broadband sectors, the company offers an extensive range of broadband, fiber connectivity, cable television and telephone services for commercial and residential customers. Central Oregon facilities include more than 2000 miles of fiber and coax infrastructure.
Services include metropolitan optical Ethernet, T-1/PRI and hosted PBX services. High-speed Internet options provide speeds up to 100 Mbps, with 1 GigE offerings available. In 2011, the company opened the BendBroadband Vault, a Tier III, SSAE 16, LEED Gold, Energy Star certified datacenter with hosted storage for primary site and disaster recovery needs, equipment colocation and managed services.
BendBroadband was among the first companies in the United States to convert to a 100 percent digital video signal and offers a spectrum of video services, including multi-room DVR and TV Everywhere service to tablets and mobile devices. BendBroadband focuses its corporate contributions and sponsorship efforts on youth, and by supporting an array of arts and entertainment in Central Oregon.
In the community, BendBroadband provides extensive local sports coverage, civic programming and local features created and produced by Zolo Media.
For additional information, visit www.bendbroadband.com and www.vaultdatasolutions.com.
