- Lake Shore Central School District
- Homepage
Lake Shore Schools Awarded for Digital Citizenship Efforts
It had been three years since Marialice B.F.X. Curran, Ph.D., founder/director of the Digital Citizenship Institute (DCI), visited Lake Shore Central. Well, now we’re in 2022, and she came back -- with awards! “Dr. Curran planned on awarding a special recognition to Lake Shore in 2020 for its technical collaboration with DCI - but we all know why that didn’t happen,” notes Jeff Connors, Leadership in Action advisor.
With the early pandemic restrictions behind us, she returned to honor Lake Shore for its work with digital citizenship over the past five years. The DCI is committed to using social media and technology to promote social good, and promoting “a community-driven approach to educating and empowering digital citizens to create solutions in local, global and digital communities.” Lake Shore was honored for its many efforts aligned with that mission, including being recognized as the showcase school during June’s Digital Citizenship Summit. “We are honored that the Digital Citizenship Institute wanted to use Lake Shore as a model for other schools. It speaks volumes about our school community, and knowing that others would want to learn from our efforts helps us to know we are doing it right,” said Digital Integrator Mike Drezek.
Dr. Curran presented the Global Impactor School Community Award to Superintendent Dan Pacos during a visit to the High School’s Leadership in Action classes. After the ceremony, she took time to share her unique journey as a person in leadership with dyslexia. She explained that it was important to believe in herself, even when leaders at her school told her she was not college material.
Her belief was well-founded. In addition to earning her doctorate and founding the DCI, Dr. Curran developed and created the first 3-credit Digital Citizenship course for teachers in the United States. She also is a researcher, and a keynote, international and TEDxYouth speaker. She notes that her mission is to turn negatives into positives and help transform participants into designers, creative thinkers, global collaborators, problem-solvers and justice-oriented digital citizens aiming to make the world a better place. Students were both entertained and saddened by Dr. Curran’s personal story but, in the end, they were left with a feeling of optimism about what they could achieve. “The presentation captured a great message that anyone can be a changemaker both online and offline,” says Mr. Drezek. “A focus on the digital citizenship aspect of technology use has created new opportunities for classroom projects and activities and we hope that these experiences impact students in ways that will stick with them long after they graduate.”
“Dr. Curran has connected with dozens of teachers across our District and has helped facilitate various technology projects that connect both students and community,” said Mr. Connors, who thanked the District’s Technology Integrators, Michael Drezek and Deann Poleon, and Assistant Superintendent Melissa Bergler for bringing Dr. Curran to Lake Shore.
Before heading back home, Dr. Curran invited any Lake Shore student to participate in the upcoming Global Student Showcase on April 1st at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, NY, in an effort to highlight students who #UseTech4Good! The call for student presenters around the world is HERE.