BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. – Google's online safety roadshow traveled to Warm Springs Middle School in Berkeley Springs Monday to teach kids how to stay safe and secure on the Internet.
For the first time, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito visited the school to show her support of the students and the program.
The event, Good to Know School Roadshow, focuses on how to create a safe and memorable password, identifying scams and how to have a positive experience when communicating with others online.
Superintendent of Morgan County Schools, David Banks, said that even in a small rural community, most of the students are cell phone users.
“I think it's a big deal for our kids because in rural communities oftentimes, you don't get these kind of presentations. They tend to go to the larger districts, and I think it’s great to have the Senator here.” Banks said.
According to Capito, cyber bullying has been a problem in schools across the country, and she believes it's best to teach younger students how to stay positive on the web at an early age.
“We've had some tragic outcomes, and I think the 'know before you share' is the most important to remember,” Capito said. “These images that you send, or whatever you say can follow you all the way through the rest of your life - job application, college application, and I think they got that message.”
Capito added that she has had Internet issues too, and Google’s presentation gave her a chance to reconnect with Morgan County residents.
“I love to meet the kids, and I think that they need to know that their senator is just like they are. I have Internet issues, and I need to learn phone etiquette too,” Captio said. “It gives me a chance to reconnect with some that I have met before or know their parents.”
On Monday, Capito also visited Hedgesville for the opening of Rankin Physical Therapy and Martinsburg for the ground breaking ceremony of Countertop Solutions.