They Thought They Were Chatting with Classmates—Then Came the Lesson

Violet Elementary School Students Experience Real-World Lessons in Digital Wellness

Pickerington Local Schools students are learning an important lesson about the online world—sometimes, things aren’t always what they seem.

As part of the District’s Digital Wellness curriculum, students recently participated in a guided chat simulation designed to mirror real-world online interactions. While students believed they were communicating with peers their own age within the District, they later discovered the individuals on the other end were actually members of the District’s Technology team - in their own classroom.

The moment sparked genuine surprise—and meaningful conversation.

“Do you think you were talking to someone in Ohio, in our school district, or in this room, asked Technology Instructional Coach Kristen Vollmar ?”

Moments later, a technology staff member stepped forward and waved to the class.

“This is who you were talking to, added Vollmar”

Students pointed in disbelief at the man they were actually talking to online.

“Uh! Him??”

“It wasn’t AI???”

 “I didn’t realize I was talking to a man!”

The activity was intentionally designed to help students understand a critical concept: people online are not always who they say they are.

“When I found out that I wasn’t talking to who I thought I was, I felt really disturbed and weird because I was actually talking to a man named Austin, and not a kid named Matthew,” said Violet Elementary fourth grader Mia. “I was like…gross.”

Digital wellness is a key focus for Pickerington Local Schools, especially in the early grades. Through K–4 instruction, students learn how to build healthy digital habits, think critically about online interactions, and protect their personal information.

By creating hands-on, real-world learning opportunities, the district is helping students move beyond simple awareness to practical application—giving them the tools to pause, evaluate, and respond safely in digital environments.

“Our goal is to equip students with the tools to slow down, think critically, and make positive decisions in how they interact online,” said Director of Academic Innovation and Instructional Technology Angela Raquepaw.

One student is well aware of what people can do with the information found online.

“I thought it was a good lesson—for people to be more aware—because people can be careless sometimes, and then their information can be pieced together,” said fourth grader Graham. “Especially for me, if you search me on Google, you’ll probably find me, because I was on the news.”

By experiencing this in a safe, supportive environment, students were able to reflect, ask questions, and begin developing the skills needed to navigate digital spaces more thoughtfully. Vollmer emphasized that if someone is trying to get your personal information, students should always tell a trusted adult, or report the activity using the report button in the video, or gaming platform they’re using. 

“I learned from internet safety that not everyone online is who you think they are, and people are good manipulators to get information out of people,” said fourth grader Tatum. “To be safe online, you should always tell an adult or report them if this happens.”

“I’m thankful for the technology team teaching me that I shouldn’t trust anybody on chats, and it is not safe to share your information,” Mia added.

Digital wellness also encourages students to develop a balanced relationship with technology—supporting their mental, physical, and emotional well-being while fostering positive, responsible online connections.

Here are some resources for parents to use with their students for online safety.