Funded Projects

"Level Up"

Project Year

2026

City & State

Temple, Texas

Program Name

Resident

Topic

Advocacy

Program Description

“Level Up: Promoting Safe and Smart Online Habits for 5th Graders in Temple, TX” is a community-based injury prevention and health promotion initiative designed to address the growing risks children face in digital environments. As access to online gaming, internet platforms, and social media increases at younger ages, many elementary-aged children lack the knowledge and skills to safely navigate these spaces. This gap places them at risk for online exploitation, cyberbullying, inappropriate content exposure, and unhealthy screen habits. These concerns are particularly relevant in Temple, TX, where local data demonstrate ongoing community challenges related to sexual violence and human trafficking, underscoring the need for early, preventive education.  The primary setting for this project is a Temple Independent School District (ISD) elementary school. The pilot phase will reach approximately 80–100 fifth-grade students, ages 10–11, a critical developmental period when children begin to explore online gaming, social media, and independent internet use. Pediatric residents from Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center will collaborate with school administrators, teachers, and counselors to implement the program within the school day, ensuring accessibility and alignment with school priorities.  The overall goal of the project is to empower children with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage safely and responsibly in digital spaces. Specific objectives include increasing student understanding of safe online behaviors, helping children recognize unsafe or inappropriate situations, promoting healthy screen-time habits, and encouraging thoughtful decision-making when interacting online.  The proposed intervention consists of three interactive, 30-minute educational sessions delivered across the school year. Session one, “Play Smart, Stay Safe,” focuses on video game safety, including talking to strangers online, setting boundaries, and balancing screen time. Session two, “Navigating the Web Wisely,” addresses internet safety topics such as protecting personal information, recognizing scams, and understanding digital footprints. Session three, “Think Before You Post,” centers on social media awareness, responsible sharing, cyberbullying prevention, and peer pressure. Sessions will incorporate age-appropriate activities such as quizzes, role-play scenarios, group discussions, and pledges to reinforce learning and engagement.  In addition to student programming, the project includes brief teacher workshops and ready-to-use educational materials to help educators reinforce digital safety concepts throughout the school year, supporting sustainability beyond the grant period.  Anticipated outcomes include improved student knowledge and confidence related to online safety, increased awareness of digital risks, and enhanced ability to identify and respond to unsafe situations. The project is also expected to strengthen partnerships between pediatric healthcare providers and local schools and result in a standardized, scalable digital safety curriculum that can be expanded to additional schools in Temple ISD and shared more broadly across Central Texas.

Project Goal

The goal of this project is to promote safe, healthy, and responsible online behaviors among 5th-grade students in Temple, Texas by providing interactive, age-appropriate digital safety education that empowers children to recognize online risks, prevent exploitation, and make informed choices in digital environments, while strengthening collaboration between pediatric healthcare providers and local schools to support long-term child safety and well-being.

Project Objective 1

By September 30th, 2026, at least 80% of participating 5th-grade students (ages 10–11) at the pilot elementary school will demonstrate a measurable increase in knowledge and confidence related to safe online behaviors, including recognizing unsafe situations and knowing how to respond, as measured by pre- and post-session assessments.

Project Objective 2

By the end of the 2026–2027 school year, the project will deliver three interactive digital safety education sessions to at least 95% of enrolled 5th-grade classrooms at the pilot school, ensuring equitable access for all students regardless of socioeconomic status.

Project Objective 3

By February 2027, at least 75% of participating teachers will report that the curriculum is age-appropriate, relevant, and feasible to reinforce in the classroom, and will identify at least one strategy they plan to continue using to promote safe online behaviors.

AAP District

District VII

Institutional Name

Temple ISD

Contact 1

Hunter Peach, DO

Contact 2

Emily Gauthier, DO