Higgins Middle School Internet Safety

In cooperation with the Office of the District Attorney for Essex County and with funding from the Higgins PTO
ALL HIGGINS 7th GRADE STUDENTS WILL PLAY "MISSING" FROM MAY 24 to JUNE 7

A computer game about Internet luring
Improve your sleuthing skills by taking our Codes, Ciphers and Cryptograms quiz.

The Internet safety program MISSING is an interactive computer game designed for Middle School age children to instruct them about the dangers of the Internet, specifically luring. It tells the story of a 14-year-old boy named Zack who goes to an online chat room and meets a mysterious stranger named Fantasma. Children take the role of detectives, helping both the Canadian and American police by collecting evidence, solving cryptograms and identifying the location where Zack is being held.

District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett reports that the game "has aided in making arrests of suspected pedophiles and has prevented countless tragic situations where children were lured from their homes by predators posing as children on the Internet. While this type of crime is not common, it is a growing problem. Indeed, here in Essex County, police have arrested four people for allegedly attempting to lure a child using the Internet this year (2004)."

Beginning May 27, 2005, the school's library and computer labs will be reserved exclusively for use by the school's five 7th grade clusters. Students will play the game in teams of two. Each cluster will spend one day playing the first five parts of the game and return four days later to complete the game as a group (cluster) and to meet with the School Resource Officer.

Copies of the MISSING video are available to check out through the Peabody Institute Library and by request through the Cullen Memorial Library.

Last school year (2003-2004), the Office of the District Attorney for Essex County provided us with 60 copies of the game and five MISSING videos. The DA's office will again assist us this year in duplicating the Detective's Notebook students will use to collect evidence while playing the game, Last year, the Higgins PTO purchased 120 headphone sets with jacks that will be used again this year. Thank You!