Teen Summit Delegate: The Internet an ‘Incredible Tool’ that can be ‘Scary and Dangerous’
Recent high school graduate Brytani Caipa was a delegate at last week’s Teen Summit on Internet Safety, sponsored by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Cox Communications. Here’s her recap from the event and thoughts on the role she and other teens can play in encouraging their peers to surf safely.
What a truly phenomenal experience! Having never participated in anything close to this incredible summit I had no idea what to expect. Between staying in a historical hotel (The Watergate) and meeting amazing people (from the head coordinators to the nine other fabulous teens), any expectations that had been sketched into my mind were truly blown away. Everything happened so fast that it wasn't until Friday on a tour of the Capitol that I was able to recognize just how incredible it was to be selected as one of these 10 teens. Being able to sit with nine other teens at a round-table discussion, giving insight that may potentially save children from the dangers of the Internet was absolutely remarkable. As a teenager, a graduate, an older sister, and a teacher, I know what an incredible tool the Internet is. I know how scary and dangerous the Internet can be; I also know how trusting and unaware kids are when using it. With the help of Cox Communications, John Walsh and Staca Urie (from NCMEC), we "teens" were able to come up with visionary and obvious ideas that could potentially save hundreds of children.
Upon returning from Washington D.C., I am doing everything in my power to spread the word of Internet safety. Whether it be through setting up interviews with my local news station or holding seminars for the parents of my brothers' soccer team, I hope that my work, along with the work of everyone that was in Washington D.C. those few days, will make a difference. (In the photo below, as part of the teens’ Capitol Hill tour following the summit, Brytani gives Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and summit host John Walsh a tour of the Internet. Photograph by Michael Temchine of US Newswire Photography.)
Posted on June 28, 2006 02:58 PM | Comments (1)
Like Brytani, I was a delegate at the Teen Summit. On Tuesday my family and I, along with our Cox Representative Arianne, flew up to Washington D.C. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never attended this summit before. When we arrived at Washington D.C. we were treated to a very luxurious three course meal at the Watergate Hotel. During dinner, my Father and I were briefed by the Cox Communication representatives as to why we were there. After dinner I was able to meet the nine other amazing teens from around the country. It was very easy to tell that these teens were extremely ambitious from the moment I met them. They ranged in age from 14 to 18 but they all had plenty to share. Each person had something unique and different to share with the other teens.
The next day I was able to see just how unique these teens were at the National Press Club. It was here that the ten teens were interviewed by John Walsh(America’s Most Wanted) and Staca Urie(NCMEC) and asked questions based upon our own experiences and beliefs about internet usage. Many of the teens had personal experiences where they knew someone who had been solicited by an online predator or someone they thought was one. They also gave their opinions on what they believed to be possible solutions to prevent online predators from taking over websites such as Myspace and Facebook where teens are frequently active. It felt very satisfying to actually be able to express my opinion and know that my voice was being heard. After the interview I was extremely motivated to do something to better the internet as we see it today. I was able to do this by talking with a representatives from Richard Baker's office and Representative Nathan Deal who were both very willing to hear what I had to say about the pros and cons of internet usage today.
I came away from the Summit with the knowledge that there are people out there who are very ignorant to the dangers of the internet. The best thing that I can do is to help inform as many people as I can. I plan to give talks and awareness meetings at my school to help teach kids what I earned in D.C. I hope to do my part in the survival of the internet as a tool, not a weapon.
Posted by: Chris Williston | June 29, 2006 04:42 PM