Article Contributed on: 4/4/2008 1:36:25 PM
On April 3 in Washington, D.C., U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter of Colorado presented Boulder educator Jennifer Hanson with the Spirit of Online Safety Award from the Qwest Foundation and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Hanson is an educator with seven years of classroom experience in Cherry Creek Public Schools. She currently works as an Instructional Technology Specialist with Boulder Valley School District.
As an educator, Hanson has a professional interest in the use of technology in the classroom and how it promotes learning. With students of all ages turning to the Internet as an academic resource, she is acutely aware of the need for online safety protocols.
Hanson was an early volunteer for Project Safe Childhood, an online safety initiative of the U.S. Attorney General. She also helped organize and was elected chair of the Internet Safety Foundation (ISF) in Colorado.
Under her leadership, ISF has developed and mentored nine young iMentors who are known as the Colorado iCrew. The iCrew produces Internet safety podcasts, appear on local television shows and support community presentations.
Hanson is also a member of Qwest's Online Safety Coalition in Colorado.