Virginia students win national cybersecurity poster contest

EAST GREENBUSH, NY/WASHINGTON DC (WDBJ) - An 11th grade student from Radford High School has been named one of the winners of a national poster contest highlighting the dangers kids face online, according to the Center for Cyber Security.

Coming in 9th in the overall top ten is a student named Rosalind Weeks, from Radford. First place is also from Virginia: 11th grader Faith from Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools Virtual Academy.

The winning artwork was selected from hundreds of submissions from across the country, according to the center, and will be made into a poster and featured in the 2024 Kids Safe Online activity book, made available to schools across the U.S. to raise awareness of cybersecurity issues facing kids of all ages.

The annual contest, says the center, “is a way to teach students in age-appropriate ways about the dangers lurking online and how they can protect themselves. Students create artwork, illustrating various issues, from cyberbullying to responsible social media usage, and what to do if they are contacted by a stranger online.”

“Students of all ages are connected across a variety of devices, like phones, tablets, school laptops, and gaming systems,” said Karen Sorady, Vice President, MS-ISAC Member Engagement at the Center for Internet Security. “The Kids Safe Online poster contest is a terrific way to not only educate our kids about making smart choices and protecting their personal information, but it also empowers them to identify and report potential online dangers to keep their friends and communities safer.”