Katie Koestner Discussed Online Social and Safety Issues
Source/Author: Rachel Barrett, Director of Marketing and Communications
January 06, 2017
Ms. Katie Koestner, a national expert on student safety and teen relationship culture, spent the day at Shorecrest educating students, faculty and parents about online safety and healthy relationships in an increasingly digital world. Ms. Koestner’s January 4th visit was sponsored by SCA, the Shorecrest Community Association.
Ms. Koestner has appeared on the cover of "TIME" Magazine, The Oprah Winfrey Show, the NBC Nightly News, CNBC Talk Live, CNN, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Later Today, Entertainment Tonight and other national television programs. She is the subject of an HBO movie and has lectured at over 1600 schools in North America. Her audiences include the incoming classes at MIT, West Point, the US Naval Academy, Brown University, Amherst College, Williams College, and many other top universities. Her testimony on Capitol Hill was instrumental in the passage of federal student safety legislation.
Throughout the day, Ms. Koestner gave presentations to the Middle School students, Upper School students and Shorecrest faculty. Her January 4th evening presentation for parents was open to the greater St. Petersburg community.
Though each message was tailored to her specific audience, Ms. Koestner emphasized to each group that privacy online is illusion. “Privacy schmivacy,” she had each group repeat back aloud. “Everything online is trackable, traceable and retrievable,” she said. “What you post, comment, share, and publish online is essentially building your digital autobiography,” said Ms. Koestner. “What do you want your autobiography to be?”
To the parents and teachers in the audience, she encouraged, “Make sure you emphasize the importance of face-to-face, eye-to-eye communication amongst each other and your students. Lead by example.”
For families who may have missed the presentations or for those who want to learn more, SCA is offering copies of Ms. Koestner’s DVD "Cybersmarts Compendium" full of resources and best practices. Sample content is shared on the Shorecrest blog. Each DVD contains more than 300 pages of resources and is available for $50. To purchase please contact Julie Cenedella in the Shorecrest Administration Office at [email protected].
Many thanks to Ms. Koestner and to the Shorecrest Community Association for sharing this important message.
