West Virginia Year One results show 88-96% behavioral change across every metric measured
CHARLESTON, WV, UNITED STATES, May 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Skyll Inc. and the Safe Surfin’ Foundation today announced the completion of the first full school year of West Virginia’s mandatory online safety education program. The program, mandated by Senate Bill 466, reached 240,000 students in grades 3 through 12 across every public school district in the state.
Behavioral change data collected from over 75,000 students showed outcomes between 88% and 96% across every online safety metric measured.
The curriculum was delivered through Skyll’s Movie Games, interactive cinematic experiences where students make choices inside realistic scenarios involving sextortion, catfishing, cyberbullying, AI-generated scams, and grooming. Students see consequences play out and build a memory of navigating dangerous situations before encountering them in real life.
The Safe Surfin’ Foundation, founded in 1998 by retired Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown, developed the Cyber S.W.A.T. curriculum framework that became the basis for Senate Bill 466. Sheriff Brown spent over two decades administering the U.S. Department of Justice’s Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and has been a driving force behind making online safety education mandatory at the state level.
“For 27 years, I have watched what happens when children encounter predators online without any preparation,” said Sheriff Mike Brown (Ret.), Founder and Board Chair of the Safe Surfin’ Foundation. “What West Virginia proved this year is that when you give kids the chance to rehearse these moments before they happen, they respond. The data from this first year is exactly what we hoped for, and it is just the beginning.”
Key findings from Year One behavioral assessments:
• 96% can now recognize a scam, exploitation, or sextortion attempt
• 96% know how to report online threats and find help
• 95% are more likely to talk to a trusted adult about concerning online activity
• 95% are aware of resources like the Cyber Tipline for sextortion victims
• 92% are more likely to question whether online profiles are real
• 90% are less likely to meet in person someone they only know online
• 80%+ voluntarily played bonus content beyond their assignment
Skyll developed two titles for the program: Miss Informed: Ember Valley for grades 6–12 and RealmQuest for grades 3–5. Both were built to meet the Cyber S.W.A.T. standards established by the Safe Surfin’ Foundation.
“Students have been excited and said this is the best tool they have had to learn about internet safety because it’s so much better than having to sit through a class and just someone lecturing them,” said Michele Blatt, West Virginia State Superintendent.
“West Virginia was the proof of concept,” said Graeme Page, Founder and CEO of Skyll. “We now have a full year of statewide data showing that interactive storytelling can do what assemblies and worksheets never could. The question for every other state is no longer whether this works. It’s how fast they can get it to their kids.”
The West Virginia Department of Education has confirmed plans to continue the program into a second year beginning fall 2026.
About Skyll Inc.:
Skyll builds Movie Games that prepare young people for real life before real life happens. The company’s platform is deployed statewide in West Virginia and serves K–12 schools, districts, and youth-serving organizations. Visit skyll.us.
About the Safe Surfin’ Foundation:
Founded in 1998 by retired Sheriff Mike Brown, the Safe Surfin’ Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting children online through education, advocacy, and law enforcement partnerships. Visit safesurfin.org.
Graeme Page
Skyll
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