Hi there and welcome to our Blue SkyBridge school program video. We knowyou’re busy, so thank you for taking thetime to learn more about our program.Our goal for this video is for you tounderstand what we’ll be talking withyour student about and to answer anyquestions you may have. We know that youare the most important source ofinformation in your child’s life.In this video, we’ll be talking aboutwho we are at Blue Sky Bridge,summarizing our kindergarten, third, andfifth grade school presentations. Andthen in the second half, we will giveyou 10 tips to help keep kids safe.Blue Skybridge is the Child AdvocacyCenter for Boulder County and one ofmore than 830 child advocacy centersacross the US. For over 15 years, we’veoffered classroom programs that helpprevent abuse by empowering kids andeducating adults. We believe in safe,happy childhoods, and education is atthe heart of that.Sometimes adults are concerned that theinformation we’ll be presenting will bescary for students or that it might betoo advanced or put ideas in their head.We want to assure you that whatevergrade your child is in, all lessons aregeared toward the developmental level ofstudents in that grade. and we presentthe information in a fun and engagingway.Here are just a few of many quotes fromparents, teachers, and even kidsthemselves after they participate in ourlessons.Now that you know who we are, let’s talkabout our kindergarten, third, and fifthgrade programs.Feel free to forward this video to thesections that apply to your student orstudents. We’ll start with kindergarten.Our kindergarten program is deliveredover four 15minute lessons. We usepuppets, videos, songs, and stories tointroduce body safety concepts in agentle kindergarten friendly way.In the first week, we talk aboutpersonal space and boundaries using thelanguage of the personal space bubble.We teach kids that each person stays intheir own bubble, and we give them someideas for what to say if someone popstheir bubble or if they accidentally popa friend’s bubble.We use a hula hoop to help kidsvisualize the size of each person’spersonal space bubble.In the second lesson, we introduce theidea of safe and unsafe touch. A safetouch is one you want that makes youfeel happy, like a hug from your familyor a high five from a friend.An unsafe touch is one that hurts yourbody, like a punch or a kick. It couldbe one that doesn’t hurt, but one thatyou don’t want, like a hug from a friendwhen you’re not ready. We use ourpuppets to show different types oftouches, like a hug versus a push, andask the kindergarteners to help usidentify which ones are safe and whichones are unsafe.We do let students know that sometimesadults might need to touch them to helpkeep them safe and healthy. For example,helping them brush teeth or putting on aseat belt. These kinds of touches areokay even if the child doesn’t want themright in that moment.In the third lesson, we teach kids thatthere are parts of the body calledprivate parts. These are the parts ofthe body covered by a swimsuit in thefront and the back. We read a bookcalled Some Parts Are Not for Sharing.Kindergarteners learn that it may beokay for an adult to look at or checktheir private parts if it’s to keep themsafe and healthy, like at the doctor orif they’re hurt. We tell them that anyother touching of private parts, if it’snot to keep them safe and healthy, is anunsafe touch and it’s something thatyou, as their trusted adult, need toknow about.In the fourth lesson, we review whatwe’ve covered and teach kids how theycan get help if anything makes them feeluncomfortable.We read a book called Your Body Belongsto You. We remind students that ifanything makes them feel unsafe oranything happens that involves privateparts, they need to tell an adult.Students get to practice naming adultsthey could tell and then drawing apicture of a trusted adult in theirlife.Throughout the curriculum, we emphasizethat whether a child says no or whetherthey tell, if something unsafe happens,it’s never the child’s fault.In weeks 2 through 4, your students willcomplete a worksheet activity with us inthe classroom to bring home. We ask themto be sure to share those worksheetswith you so you will know what they’relearning.Each classroom also receives a physicalcopy of our kindergarten rules to hangin a visible spot as a reminder of thelessons from Blue Sky Bridge.Now that we’ve talked about ourkindergarten program, we’ll tell youabout our third grade program. As yousee, it includes many of the sameconcepts.Like kindergarten, the third gradeprogram consists of four lessons. Thethird grade lessons are 30 minutes each,and they build on what students alreadyknow to deliver an enhancedunderstanding of the material that’sappropriate for third grade learners. Weuse puppets, books, and group activitiesto keep students interested and engaged.In the first lesson, we talk about thepersonal space bubble and the differencebetween safe and unsafe touch.Some students are already familiar withthe concepts and others are learningthem for the first time.Day one helps us establish a commonvocabulary for our lessons.At the end of day one, we introduce ourbody safety rules.These are the foundation for ourcurriculum, and we return to themthroughout the four lessons.Each classroom receives a poster withthe body safety rules, and each studentreceives a handout to take home.We encourage students to share thehandouts with you, their trusted adult,and to consider posting them in avisible place so everyone who comes intotheir space, like a babysitter, familymembers, and even siblings, will knowthat they have body safety rules.On day two, we introduce secrets,surprises, and personal information.Surprises are something you keep quietabout for a short amount of time. Andwhen it’s shared, it makes people feelhappy, like a birthday present or asurprise trip.Secrets are something someone asks youto keep forever, and they can make youfeel sad or weird or icky.Personal information is information thatyou don’t want to share, but no one isbeing hurt, and nobody’s safety rulesare being broken.Examples of personal information mightbe the password to your phone or yourcomputer or your student’s lunch number.We encourage students to check with anadult if they’re unsure about whetherthey should keep something private ortell.In this lesson, we also read a bookcalled A Super Brave Kid. The book tellsthe story of a child named Kit who getsan unsafe touch and talks about whatthey do to get help from the teacher andtheir mom.In the story, we remind students that nomatter what, it is never their fault.And most kids don’t receive unsafetouches. So, we don’t want them to feelworried. We just want them to beprepared in case they or a friend needhelp.In the third lesson, we teach studentsour no go tell plan. It means say no,try to lead the situation if you can,and go and tell a trusted adult. Weemphasize that whether someone says noor whether they go, the most importantpart of our plan is step three, tell.We talk specifically about who kids cantell and we ask them to identify by nameadults in their own lives they can talkwith if something makes them feeluncomfortable.The fourth lesson is a review where webring together everything students havelearned and use our puppets to help thempractice. Throughout all the lessons, weremind children that is never theirfault, and adults want to know ifsomething is bothering them. It’s nottattling, and it’s always important toget help from trusted adults.Now, we’ll talk about fifth grade. Ourgoal with our fifth grade program is tooffer students a refresher on bodysafety concepts and help them feelcomfortable talking to adults as theytransition into older elementary andmiddle school. so they can still gethelp if they or a friend are in adifficult situation.We use animated videos, games, and lotsof energy to talk about topics that feelrelevant to fifth graders like digitalsafety and boundaries.The fifth grade program consists of one50-minute lesson. Before we arrive, kidswatch a short animated video that coversthe concepts we reviewed in our thirdgrade program. for example, safe andunsafe touch and the no-go tell plan.When we start our classroom lesson, welet students know that we are not goingto talk about puberty or answer anyquestions about human development. Ourmission is focused on body safety. Wetell students that if they havequestions, they should talk to theirtrusted adults about it. We know you arethe best source of information, sothroughout our programs at all levels,we encourage kids to talk to you.We begin by talking about boundaries andask students to help us define thatword.Your student will learn about threedifferent types of boundaries: physical,emotional, and digital.Physical boundaries are about having theright to your own personal space. Anexample of a physical boundary might begetting to decide who hugs you or howclose you might want to sit to someoneat the table.An emotional boundary is about havingthe right to have your feelingsrespected. An example we share ofbreaking an emotional boundary would bespreading rumors or gossiping aboutsomeone.Digital boundaries are about respectinglimits on texting and social media. Weknow that not all students are onlineyet, but they likely will be in thefuture. So, we want to introduce someimportant online safety concepts.Students explore the idea of instinctsand red flags and watch a cartoon videothat defines boundaries.After the video, we have a small groupactivity where they work with each otherto identify the red flags in a scenario.We tell students that if a situationinvolves someone breaking boundaries orbreaking body safety rules, that issomething an adult needs to know about.Many times, fifth graders think theyneed to be able to solve all theproblems on their own. So, we remindthem that they don’t have to haveeverything figured out just yet, andthey should still get help from adultsif something seems unsafe.In the second half of the lesson, wetalk about consent.We define it as asking for permission todo something.To understand consent, we play a gamewith the kids where we toss a ball tosomeone and have them tell us one wayyou can say yes.After a few tosses, we do the samething, but with no. We address grayareas that can cause some confusion.Things like I’m not sure or I don’tknow. Kids are often surprised to learnthat maybe or silence doesn’t mean thesame thing as yes.We spend the last bit of the lessonapplying all the concepts we’ve talkedabout so far, boundaries, red flags, andconsent to the online world. We watch acartoon video about making smart choicesonline.It reviews ideas like don’t engage,don’t delete and tell an adult.It says don’t share personalinformation, don’t meet up with anyonline friends in person, and of course,trust your instincts.We tell kids that no matter what, theyhave to tell their trusted adults. Andwe encourage them not to let the fear ofgetting in trouble stop them fromgetting help when they need it. Beforewe end, we talk to fifth graders verybriefly and lightly about not looking atinappropriate pictures or videos online.We do not say the word pornography oranything similar. All we say is thatthere is content out there that is notsomething fifth graders should beseeing. So, if they accidentally findpictures or videos of people withouttheir clothes on or if anyone shows themanything inappropriate, they need totell a trusted adult.Hopefully this overview of our lessonsanswered any questions you may have. Ifthere’s anything else we can answer orany resources you would like to continueto have these conversations at home,please don’t hesitate to reach out.In the second half of the video, we wantto take this opportunity to give yousome important tips for nurturinghealthy development and preventingabuse. We at Blue Sky Bridge believeit’s adults job to keep kids safe. Sothe information in this half of thepresentation is not something we will besharing with your student.This is for you as adults to feelinformed and empowered to help childrengrow up healthy and happy. We will offer10 facts and tips along with specificthings you can say to the child orchildren in your life.Tip number one, stranger danger is amyth.Avoid emphasizing stereotypes like menin white vans or anything else you mightsee in movies or TV. In more than 90% ofcases, children know their abuser. In40% of cases, it’s another child orteen.So, what can you as a safe adult do? Trysaying you remember what you learnedfrom Blue Sky Bridge. If anyone touchesyou in an unsafe way or asks you to dosomething that breaks the body safetyrules, please tell me. Even if it’ssomeone we know, it doesn’t matter whoit is, I will believe you.Tip number two, use the correct name ofbody parts. Use names like penis andbreasts just like you would naming anyother body part.This is important because if somethingdoes happen and a child is brave enoughto tell, we want to be sure that anyadult can understand what they aresaying.Knowing the correct names of parts canalso protect a child from possibleabuse.Imagine a child who can say, “Don’ttouch my penis. That’s private.”That’s a powerful signal to a potentialabuser that the child has solid,accurate information about their bodyand good communication with an adult whois teaching them. Try saying, “We usethe correct names for all of our bodyparts, eyes, ears, bottom, breasts,etc.”Tip number three, give kids an exitplan. If your child is going to be withsomeone else, whether it’s a babysitter,on a sports team, or with a friend, givethem language to use if they want toleave an unsafe situation.Kids don’t want to be embarrassed, andsometimes they can’t think of an excusein that moment.Try saying, “If someone is making youfeel uncomfortable, you can tell whoeverthe grown-up or the adult is that you’refeeling sick and you want to call me soyou can come home.Tip number four, emphasize consent.All children benefit from knowing thateach person’s body is their own. Weusually start teaching this early whenwe talk about not touching or pushingothers.Each person’s body belongs to them andchildren need to be able to speak up forthemselves and also to listen whenothers say no or stop.Try saying you can use your words totell people if you don’t want them totouch your body. Your body belongs toyou. This doesn’t mean that you can sayno to things like brushing your teeth orbuckling up in the car. Those are thingsthat keep you safe and healthy even ifyou don’t feel like doing themsometimes.It’s important for you to respect otherpeople, too. So, if you hear someone sayno or stop, you need to stop.Tip number five, be their source ofinformation.Be open and honest and let them knowyou’re available. Kids, even older kids,are naturally curious. So, if they don’tget accurate information from adults,they’ll ask their friends or even worse,the internet.We know that having a one-time talkisn’t as effective as many conversationsthat grow and amplify as your childmatures.Think about it in a different context.How many times have you had to tell orremind your child to do something likewash their hands or cover their mouthwhen they sneeze? Children, like adults,need to hear things many times over along period in order to internalizethem.Try saying, “If you have questions aboutyour body or if you ever hear somethingabout bodies or relationships fromsomeone else, please come ask me. I’llgive you honest answers. I want to makesure you have the right information.”Tip number six, have a no secretshousehold. Try to get rid of the wordsecret in everyone’s vocabulary as everbeing something good. We want childrento know that if anyone, an adult oranother child, asks them to keep asecret, that should be a red flag andthey need to tell. Try saying, “Ifanyone asks you to keep a secret,especially if it involves anythingunsafe, please tell me or another adultyou trust.”Tip number seven, be brave and askquestions about sleepovers, playdates,summer camps, sports teams, or any otheroutside activity.Try talking to other adults because itnormalizes these conversations andelevates everyone’s awareness. Youwouldn’t hesitate to ask aboutallergies. So, think of this as anothersafety conversation.Try saying, “Who will be there? Whatdoes the supervision look like? Willolder kids be keeping an eye on youngerones?” If it’s an organized club oractivity, what training does your staffhave on abuse prevention and bestpractices?Tip number eight, help kids identifyother trusted adults. All children,regardless of age, need multiple caringadults in their lives that they can talkto when something is bothering them. Youcan help the children in your lifespecifically name and identify thesepeople.Try saying, “If you had a problem andyou didn’t want to talk to me about itor I wasn’t available, who are two otheradults you could talk with?”Tip number nine, talk aboutinappropriate content online.This may feel surprising in a talk forparents of elementary school students,but it is never too early. The age ofexposure to inappropriate online contentis nine for boys and 11 for girls onaverage. It continues to get younger andyounger as children have ever greateraccess to technology.It’s never too early to start talkingand you don’t need to use adult wordslike pornography, but you can talk aboutwhat to do if your child sees images orvideos of people without their clotheson.Showing inappropriate videos is a commonway that older kids and adults groomchildren. So, it’s helpful to let yourchild know that those types of imagesaren’t something anyone else should beshowing them.Try saying pictures and videos of peoplewithout their clothes on aren’t forkids. If you accidentally findsomething, just close the tab and moveon. If someone else tries to show you,please let me know.For older kids, you can add, “You mightbe curious about your body or changes inyour body, but looking at pictures andvideos of people without their clotheson isn’t good for you, and it will giveyou the wrong idea about bodies andrelationships.Lastly, trust your instincts. This issomething we teach in our curriculum andsomething we encourage you as adults todo as well.If something seems off or you have asense that it’s not right, trust that.Don’t try to talk yourself out of it.Often for us as adults, relationships,family, social politeness, and otherobstacles seem to stand in the way. Butif a situation feels unsafe, trust yourinstincts and go.Try saying to yourself, “I can trust myinstincts.I know that Blue Sky Bridge or othertrusted sources are there to help methink through these problems and providewhatever support I need.If you’ve made it this far, thank you.You are your child’s first and mostimportant teacher, and we are here tosupport you in creating a safe,informed, and trusting environment foryour child to grow. Please reach outwith any questions anytime.We’re here for you and all the kids inour community.