Kids Name 'Play It Cyber Safe' Mascot in Online Poll

Kids Name 'Play It Cyber Safe' Mascot in Online Poll

New Comic Book, Cyber Education Curriculum, Available for Free Download

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The results of a month-long online poll to name the "Play It Cyber Safe" cyber champion mascot have been announced in a new educational comic book curriculum co-developed with Weekly Reader, a leader in children's publishing.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050208/DCTU004 )

"Garret" is the name children selected for the "copyright crusading" ferret, who is featured in "Copyright Crusader to the Rescue." The comic book and companion teaching guide are available for free download at http://www.playitcybersafe.com/curriculum/index.cfm.

The "Copyright Crusader to the Rescue" is the newest addition to BSA's cyber ethics education program. The curriculum was developed to teach children about cyber ethics, including the importance of responsible computer and Internet use, respect for digital creativity and copyright protection.

"Inviting tech savvy kids to vote for a name for our cyber ethics mascot was a unique way to get them to think about being responsible cyber citizens," said Diane Smiroldo, vice president, public affairs for BSA. "We think students will enjoy the new curriculum and hope that educators will find this unique resource helpful in teaching cyber ethics."

In addition to being available for free download at http://www.playitcybersafe.com/, the four-page comic book curriculum and teacher's guide were also mailed nationwide to 30,000 fourth grade teachers who subscribe to Weekly Reader. It has also reached more than one million kids and two million parents and guardians. Also available for free download on the Play It Cyber Safe Web site is BSA's first cyber ethics curriculum, "Play It Safe in Cyberspace." Since its initial distribution in 2002, the "Play It Safe in Cyberspace" curriculum has reached more than 13 million kids, parents and teachers.

About the Business Software Alliance

The Business Software Alliance (http://www.bsa.org/) is the foremost organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members represent one of the fastest growing industries in the world. BSA programs foster technology innovation through education and policy initiatives that promote copyright protection, cyber security, trade and e-commerce. BSA members include Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Bentley Systems, Borland, CNC Software/Mastercam, Internet Security Systems, Macromedia, McAfee, Microsoft, PTC, SolidWorks, Sybase, Symantec, UGS and VERITAS Software.

About Weekly Reader Corporation

Weekly Reader Corporation is a leader in educational publishing. Created in 1902, Weekly Reader publishes sixteen magazines and a variety of other supplemental products that reinforce curriculum, help teachers meet standards, and engage students. All sixteen magazines have won awards for excellence in educational journalism. Weekly Reader currently serves approximately nine million students and 300,000 teachers nationwide.

Weekly Reader Corporation is part of WRC Media Inc., a leading publishing and media company that creates and distributes innovative supplementary education materials for the school, library, and home markets. In addition to Weekly Reader Corporation, WRC Media's operating companies include AGS Publishing, CompassLearning(TM), World Almanac Education Group, Inc., and WRC Consumer and Custom Publishing Group, which together market some of the best- known brands in educational publishing.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050208/DCTU004
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Business Software Alliance

CONTACT: Suzanne Jackson of Four Leaf Public Relations LLC,
+1-434-972-7278, sj@fourleafpr.com, for Business Software Alliance, or Debbi
Mayster of Business Software Alliance, +1-202-530-5132, debbim@bsa.org

Web site: http://www.playitcybersafe.com/
http://www.bsa.org/


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