ROCK SPRINGS – The Office Information Systems Department at Western Wyoming Community College is partnering with Eastside and Pilot Butte Elementary Schools for Digital Citizenship Week from Nov. 9- 13.

This awareness project, now in its third  year, is designed to promote digital literacy, etiquette and awareness for students, parents, faculty, and the general public. The weeklong series of activities will include a Family Night program at Eastside on Wednesday, Nov. 11, featuring a Chili Cook-Off and informative sessions on a variety of digital awareness topics.

Members of Western’s Associated Student Government will participate in a panel discussion on cyberbullying at Family Night. Western faculty members Jennifer Allen, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Office Information Systems, and Leesa Lee, Associate Professor of Office Information Systems, will co-present sessions “The Zen of Being Digital” and “Gadget Habits for Your Kids,” while Christine Maddy, Associate Professor of Education, will present on “Dangers of Technology.”

Other sessions at Family Night include: “Digital Footprints Left Behind,” “iPad Babies,” and “Digital Media: Use of Apps in a Suicidal Crisis,” among others. There will be a special session for children led by Det. Salazar of the Rock Springs Police Department, and SCSD #1 Information Technology representatives will be on hand to answer questions.

Family Night at Eastside begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Chili Cook-Off, with sessions running from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. and follow-up conversations and dessert from 7:30 – 8 p.m. Child care will be available on site at Eastside from 6:30 – 8 p.m., with the assistance of Western’s Mustang athletes.

In addition to Family Night sessions, Western’s OIS Department will offer theme days and awareness activities next week that encourage students and community members to consider their own digital habits and even to take a break from daily digital overload. These include: Western’s Digital Detox Challenge, in which participants agree to limit their digital usage for the week; a special Detox Dinner at Mitchell’s, presented by ASG on Tuesday, Nov. 10; a Don’t Text and Drive Pledge Drive; Student Poster Sessions at Western’s OIS Lab (Room 1448) on Nov. 11; Leaving Behind Digital Footprints and Digital Tattoos on Nov. 12; and Cyberbullying in College on Nov. 13. There will also be drawings for giveaways during the week, with winners to be announced on Friday.

For more information on Family Night, please contact Eastside School Counselor Teresa Klatka at 307-352-3425 or Prof. Allen at 307-382-1886 or at jallen@wwcc.wy.edu. For more information on Digital Citizenship Week at Western, go to https://wwccdcw.weebly.com/.