Hopatcong Middle School Doubles Internet, Drug Education Effort

Hopatcong's middle school had stepped up its drug and bullying education for the last few weeks with visits from the Sussex County Center for Prevention and Counseling.

But this week it doubled its effort.

On Monday, Sussex County Prosecutor's Office Detective Diane Rude spoke to students about Internet safety, cyber bullying and social networking. On Tuesday, the CPC was back, wrapping its four-week program with an across-the-board discussion with sixth-graders.

"We're not looking for limelight," Principal Lewis Benfatti said. "We just trying to make kids aware of what's out there."

Rude said her presentation focused on two subjects. The first: Internet predators. Rude said she showed students "various ways that Internet predators can find them and their families and their friends" through social-networking sites and chatrooms.

Rude said she also focused on the Internet's permanence.

"Be conscious of what you're doing on the Internet," she said. "I was trying to get them conscious that once you're post a picture up there, it's forever out there."

Rude said she enjoyed her visit.

"The kids were fantastic," she said. "Hopatcong's school system, in general, has always been exceptional in terms of any cyber-related issues and I'm grateful they asked us to come in."

CPC members Tina Thompson, Patrice Reilly and Dot DelCampo on Tuesday tied together main points from three previous visits. Thompson said reinforcement was key.

"The more the kids hear it," she said, "the more they get it."

Children asked questions in the first session weeks ago to gauge their awareness, Thompson said. They were asked the same questions Tuesday to see how well they retained the knowledge.