Several weeks ago I watched a Frontline episode entitled "Growing Up Online." It was disturbing. It documented the experience of families, children and parents, as they struggle with the cyber-generational gap. We have a new generation with a radically different concept of privacy and personal space, who are trying out pseudo identities through MySpace, YouTube, Facebook and other forms of instant messaging. They sometimes write things to one another that they would never dream of saying face to face. Too often parents are locked out of this world. This is a serious concern that is sweeping all communities. You may view the episode at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/.

I have reached out to the Board of Education, PTA Council, Chief Whitton of the Glen Cove Police Department, Judge McCord and Mayor Suozzi. Recently about 40 representatives from the PTA, the school administration, Board of Education President Richard Tortorici, Chief Whitton and the Glen Cove police, Judge McCord, and Mayor Suozzi sat down and viewed the video together. We then engaged in a one and one-half hour discussion. We unanimously agreed that Glen Cove, like every other community across this country, has a problem with how some young people are using technology, more specifically the Internet. Some of the key points of discussion that evening were the following:

• bullying that used to begin and end on the school playground but now goes into the home online;

• oftentimes, the anonymity of sending messages online, gives rise to young people acting thoughtlessly and recklessly because they believe there will be no consequences;

• the amount of time that some young people spend online isolates them from other social interactions, especially family interactions;

• the scope of the issue is vast;

• the technical tools are readily available because adults and the community have provided these tools;

• of course, there are many positive aspects to our young people being so proficient in using technology, including their abilities to multi-task;

• many young people live out private fantasies and adopt a different persona online, which may be dangerous;

• messages between and among young people are sometimes offensive, insensitive and hurtful.

The discussion group was also concerned that this phenomenon is moving down to younger children; as young as 6 and 7 years old.

What should our community do to address these issues? Certainly, making adults aware of the problem is an important first step. Our school principals will be working with their PTAs in order to make parents more aware. The group generally agreed with the notion that if adults condemn online communication, then adolescents, by nature, often see condemnation and restriction as forbidden fruit, and will be drawn to it in secret ways. Consequently, our feeling was that we must enter into an open and constructive dialogue with our young people and recruit student leaders to work with us in this process. We also need to mobilize and coordinate the many available resources that this city has in dealing with this issue - namely school, police, the courts, city agencies, social service agencies, churches and service organizations.

A couple of ideas that seemed quite intriguing were to invite students to create their own documentaries, which might serve as a vehicle for young people to examine their own online practices. In addition, it was suggested that the schools create what has been called in other communities, a "family university." These "universities" would serve to provide quality information and a forum for constructive discussion between and among families and family members.

The group decided that a smaller planning group would come together in the near future in order to continue to develop approaches to Growing Up Online. As a community, we all have a common interest in keeping Glen Cove safe for our young people.

Dr. Laurence W. Aronstein

Superintendent of Schools

I would like to personally thank all of the volunteers and benefactors who made my Eagle Project possible. Without their tireless effort and generous hearts the magnificent new train layout of SCO Family of Services would have never existed. Many thanks to my father and mother Eric and Nancy Sobeck, Ms. Helen Bauer, Mr. Lance Cheney, Max Cheney, Matthew Parente, Kristin Sciarrino, Patrick McCabe, Mr. Phillip McCabe and family, Michael Duvally, Mr. Christopher Carroll, Mr. Charles Gonder (of Gold Coast Hobby), Erik Dillon, Mr. Christopher Duvally, Mr. Laurence Affrunti (of Albertson Electric), Ms. Tanya Jackinovich, Raphael Perelstein, Elias Blinkoff, Michael Weber, Coyote Carpentry Inc. (Eric Sobeck), Panera Breads, GLY Religious Books and Gifts, Mr. Joseph Soffey (of Soffey and Soffey LLC), Braun Brush Co. (Mr. Lance Cheney), Mr. John Shaman and Ms. Ada Carbone, the Mienko family, Mr. Damian Stavredes, Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Anderson, Ms. Janet Pomeranz, Ms. Kyra Sposato, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Acker, Ms. Melinda Edwards, Mr. Anthony Jimenez, Sorenson Lumber, Mr. Michael Cervini, Mr. and Mrs. John Chicvak, Ms. Eileen Parsons, Mr. and Mrs. James Parsons, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McCann, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Parente, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wilson, Drs. Alexander and Eve Lupenko, Mr. and Mrs. John Connell, Drs. Brian and Katyoon Leibowitz, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Harman, Sergeant Jack McDougal, and the Glen Cove PBA.

Trevor Sobeck