On the evening of Wednesday, March 17th, RC Technologies attended an Internet Safety Parents and Community Night hosted by the Wilmot School District 54-7.

Mary Beth Holzwarth, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation Human Trafficking Liaison and Analyst, gave a presentation on practical strategies for talking to kids about staying safe online. Her expertise comes from a personal experience that has turned into a ten-year career.

Holzwarth began her presentation with an image of a weighing scale. She explained that having “balance” with technology was the key and spoke about the importance of its role in kids’ future careers.

She stressed the need for parents and adults to be present, engaged, and truly listening to children when they share something they are excited about. She advocates taking an active role and participating in activities that are important to children, even if you have no clue about the particular activity or the subject matter. Taking time to connect with them, such as playing a video game. Holzwarth’s presentation went on to offer the audience tips for recognizing online predators and resources for reporting exploitation.

Holzwarth encouraged parents and guardians to have “what-if” conversations with their kids to help prepare children for any potential situation they could encounter. Listening to children without judgment and helping them recognize any potential online safety risks.