ST. JOHNSBURY - Social Networking site My Big Campus is giving St. Johnsbury School students a healthy and educational introduction to the World Wide Web. Students at the school can use the internet, while parents and teachers don't have to worry about their safety.

For about a year now students at the St. Johnsbury School have been using My Big Campus. This social networking site is aimed to be used by young children and teachers and takes away concerns about children's privacy it restricts access to mature content.

My Big Campus is based in California, and could be considered a younger child's alternative to Facebook. Because students are supposed to be 13 to open a Facebook account, and security concerns are a must at any age, The St. Johnsbury School adopted My Big Campus onto their "campus," because there is many privacy concerns with Facebook. My Big Campus also helps be a "social networking" training wheels for students. Students also must be 13 years old to open a Facebook account.

The website teaches children how social networking sites work. Students are able to interact and connect online with their peers while engaging in learning activities.

It's an environment where the students can then practice their social networking skills. They are allowed to use chat functions, discussion functions, and email with their friends.

"It allows them to practice those skills in a safe environment," explained Rick Mallon, the Technology Coordinator at the St. Johnsbury School.

My Big Campus not only allow students to safely experience social networking, but is also used as a teaching aid in the classroom. For assignments students will write their own blogs, share helpful tips with their classroom, and find notes and class information.

"We wrote a blog about ourselves and we could blog it. Also for homework when you have to do notes, if you are having trouble finding it you can post on your wall "has anyone found anything?" "For example railroads or something," explains Grace Desrochers, an eighth-grade student at the St. Johnsbury School.

My Big Campus has many advantages for these students, but one option teachers embrace is the ability to upload videos from YouTube for the students to watch and delete all links and comments. This feature helps teachers keep the content classroom appropriate.

Administrators are also able to monitor the children's activities on the site in an effort to prevent cyber bullying.
"If they do something inappropriate we are able to catch those things, monitor those things, and work with those students to self-correct those things," Mallon said.

Teachers and students are excited about the difference that My Big Campus has made in their classrooms.

For more information on My Big Campus you can visit their website.