Vega High School Wins National FBI-SOS Internet Challenge Award

Vega High School has been presented with the FBI-Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge’s national award for January 2014. Under the guidance of technology teacher Kerri Cagle, VHS students posted the best cumulative score in the country in the Starfish category (schools with five to 50 participants).

FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Charles Reed and Community Outreach Specialist Angela Harris visited Vega High School today to congratulate the students and present them with a trophy. The school serves over 170 students in grades seven to 12.

FBI-SOS is a free initiative designed to educate third through eighth grade students about cyber safety. All public, private, and home schools are eligible to participate in this entertaining and educational web-based program, which can be accessed year-round—in the classroom or at home.

The website features six grade-specific “islands.” Each island includes seven or eight learning portals for students to visit. Using games, videos, and interactive features, these areas address the protection of personal information, password strength, cell phone safety, social networking, and online gaming safety, among other topics. The videos include real-life stories of kids who have faced cyberbullies and online predators.

After students have completed all activities on their island, they are given an exam. Each month of the academic year, schools compete for the national award in one of three categories, determined by the number of students participating from each school: Starfish (five to 50 participants); Stingray (51 to 100); and Shark (more than 100).

Kids of all ages—and even adults—can explore the site, play the games, watch the videos, and learn about cyber safety. However, the exam used for competing can only be taken by third to eighth grade students whose classes have been registered by their teachers.

The FBI-SOS Internet Challenge was developed with the assistance of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, with input from teachers and schools. Visit the FBI-SOS website sos.fbi.gov for more information or contact the FBI Dallas Division’s Community Outreach Specialist at (972) 559-5000 or CommunityOutreach.Dallas@ic.fbi.gov.