The Rochester City School District is one of several around the state who received word recently that they will be getting some state aid to help provide education about ways to prevent child abductions.
It’s a program that has been around for several years now, and the Rochester district will get $10,000 for a program that is run though health classes.
Carlos Cotto is Executive Director for physical education, athletics and health in the city school district.
He says this program will train not only district staff but also some students who will then help teach their peers about ways to prevent abductions.
“So it’s really having a better understanding of those particular pieces and then finding students themselves are going to be the stronger champions within a program, because they’re closer related to the students in which they’re delivering the instruction."
The program is aimed at grades 5, 6 and 7. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which is helping with the training, says that nationwide, students in the 10 to 12 year old age category are the children most likely to be in danger of abduction.
Audrey Korokeyi is a Health Education Coordinator with the city school district.
“Some kids as early as 5th and 6th grade do have Facebook pages, so they show them how, just posting one or two things about themselves , how an offender, or something, can actually find out where they live at, so they go through all of this,” Korokeyi told WXXI News.
School officials say they also try to get parents involved in this program to help educate their kids on how they can protect themselves, whether it's walking to school, playing outside or taking part in online activities.
