PTA to Bring Communities Together Nationwide for a Better Internet

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Feb 11, 2020, 11:48 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Safer Internet Day, National PTA and PTAs across the country are bringing communities together for a better internet by hosting over 160 events nationwide. The events are part of the PTA Connected initiative and are anticipated to reach as many as 10,000 families.

"Safer Internet Day encourages parents, students and educators to come together to discuss trending digital issues and empowers them to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively. PTA has been working for over five years to address the online safety issues that are on the minds of families and connect them to tools and support," said Leslie Boggs, president of National PTA. "Together with our PTA Connected sponsors, our association is proud to host events nationwide and share resources that help families navigate today's digital world."

Through the events, families will receive information about digital well-being and technology use to help address hot topics, such as screen time, social media, location sharing and other digital decisions. Parents and kids will also work together through real-life scenarios of online behavior and have open conversations to ensure they are using technology productively and responsibly.

Among the events that will be held across the country:

100 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant from National PTA and Google to host Be Internet Awesome Family Workshops.
30 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant to host family workshops on online safety at their school. The grants are sponsored by TikTok.
25 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant to host a Smart Talk conversation at their school. The grants are sponsored by NortonLifeLock.

National PTA will also be part of the official national convening for Safer Internet Day 2020, a family night event in Mountain View, Calif and a Be Internet Awesome event with Google in New York City with Connecticut PTA, New Jersey PTA and New York State PTA.

"At PTA, we believe in a positive, hands-on approach to parenting in the digital age," said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. "We hope the events help families have productive, ongoing conversations about their digital lives and activities and help them have fun, learn, connect and grow together."

National PTA launched its PTA Connected initiative in 2018 to formalize and build on its work in the digital space in response to the growing needs and interest of parents nationwide. PTA Connected is designed to educate and engage families in digital wellness, security, access, equity and literacy.

To date, over $750,000 in funding has been awarded to PTAs to host PTA Connected events with over 500 PTA Connected events across the country, reaching over 25,000 families.

NortonLifeLock is the presenting and founding sponsor of PTA Connected. Additional founding sponsors include Facebook, Google and AT&T. TikTok is a supporting sponsor of the initiative.

"National PTA is grateful to NortonLifeLock, Facebook, Google, AT&T and TikTok for supporting our association's efforts and helping give families the tools to be successful online," added Boggs.

For more information about PTA's celebration of Safer Internet Day and to find an event in your community, visit PTA.org/SaferInternetDay.

About National PTA
National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

SOURCE National PTA