Courtesy photo
Mike Donlin (left) receives the Spirit of Online Safety Award from U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee.

Each year, the Qwest Foundation and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children honor individuals who have actively contributed to raising families’ awareness about online safety issues and to helping combat online exploitation of youth with the Spirit of Online Safety Award.

The recipients of this award are honored in a ceremony at the nation’s capital, attended by legislative representatives from their respective states.

Among the four honorees this year is Woodinville resident Mike Donlin. Donlin, a veteran educator and administrator with Seattle Public Schools, was chosen for his commitment to educating students, families and educators about safer online practices and preventing online harassment or intimidation, known as cyberbullying.

The local man was instrumental in helping to create a model policy on electronic means of bullying and harassment, as required by Washington Senate Bill 5288.

This bill mandates that school districts across the state include cyberbullying in their harassment prevention policies.

“We’re fortunate that computers and the Internet are widely accessible in Puget Sound country,” said U.S. Representative Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), who was on hand to present Donlin with his award. “One of our biggest challenges now, however, is keeping kids safe online and teaching them to use these technologies responsibly. Thanks to Mike’s leadership, we’re rising to the challenge.”

For Donlin, the award was recognition that educators are doing good work in the Seattle area. He adds, “We’re ahead of the curve with this situation, both nationally and internationally, and it’s great to be honored for all the hard work that we’re doing here.”

According to the Woodinville man, electronic bullying is a major problem that affects millions of kids each year, who are targeted or victimized by their peers online. Those in junior and senior high school are most likely to be involved in this type of harassment, but Donlin admits that the issue runs the spectrum of all ages.

He says, “I’m beginning to get calls from the elementary schools because young kids are Internet savvy now and the problem is unfortunately beginning to grow within this age group, too.”

Donlin strongly feels that schools, parents, the technology industry and law enforcement must all work together in order to combat cyberbullying. He believes the key is to make parents, in particular, aware of the magnitude of the issue and then to give them the tools to help keep their kids safe.

Also, he emphasizes the need to provide teachers with resources to use in the classroom to train students about how they can steer clear of trouble when using the Web.

“People – adults actually – are not aware of the problem for the most part,” comments Donlin. “This is because it’s happening in the land of the digital natives where kids and teens live. Even though adults are in charge of the digital industry, we don’t typically go where the kids live. Things happen in this cyber world that adults don’t know about because kids don’t tell them.”

Donlin’s advice is for parents to talk to their children about their life online. He stresses that it is important to understand the vocabulary that they commonly use and to enlist their help in learning the terms and the lingo. In addition, he feels that it is important for parents to set up parameters for safe Internet use and to draft a list with their kids about the type of personal information that shouldn’t be shared online.

“The best thing is to keep an open dialogue with your kids,” says Donlin. “Talk frequently and discuss their online friends, just as you would talk about their other friends. And always encourage them to tell you right away about any uncomfortable online experience. Filtering and monitoring software is good, but people need to remember that these devices aren’t a substitute for parental involvement and supervision.”

Donlin practices what he preaches with his 14-year-old son. He adds, “My son knows that I’m interested in his cyber life and that this interest isn’t just simply being nosy, but rather, a form of care and concern for his safety. That’s the message adults need to send to kids in order to help combat this online exploitation.”

The Qwest Foundation has funded Netsmartz411, a new online service provided by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. For the first time, the general public has direct access to experts at the Center who can respond to their specific questions and concerns about online safety. The service is a free, one-stop, interactive, educational resource to help keep kids safer online. For more information, visit www.NetSmartz411.org.