On June 6, 2025, School 34 “Stoyu Shishkov” in Sofia transformed its schoolyard into a buzzing arena of teamwork, learning, and laughter. Spearheaded by our dedicated colleague Desislava Lazarova, a special cyber safety sports event brought together 125 curious and energetic fourth-graders turning them into young cyber superheroes for a day.
This joyful initiative proved that digital safety can be taught in the most playful and memorable ways. The event addressed a critical need: helping kids recognize online risks while giving them the tools to stay safe. But instead of sitting through lectures, these 10-year-olds jumped, dribbled, and laughed their way through five interactive game stations, each built around essential cybersecurity concepts.
With support from teachers and enthusiastic fifth-grade volunteers, the fourth-graders rotated in teams through the stations. Each stop combined physical activity with a digital riddle or safety challenge, ensuring the kids stayed energized, engaged, and focused on learning.
As students ran, crawled, and jumped between tasks, they tackled challenges that tested both body and mind. One game focused on identifying strong versus weak passwords, while another presented real-life online scenarios such as receiving messages from strangers or encountering suspicious links and prompted students to decide whether the situations were safe or risky.
Other activities included a fast-paced cyber quiz on phishing, privacy, and respectful online behavior; an exercise in spotting red flags in fictional social media profiles; and a puzzle that asked teams to assemble a safe digital story from a set of actions. The common thread across all stations was teamwork, critical thinking, and the understanding that smart choices online matter just as much as they do in play.
Beyond the points and prizes, every child left the day feeling more confident and empowered. They learned not only what to avoid online, but also how to ask for help, support their peers, and take charge of their digital well-being.
Each student received a “Cyber Hero” certificate and a small gift from Acronis. The class with the most points proudly walked away with the “Top Cyber Team” diploma, a symbol of both knowledge and collaboration.
Desislava’s passion turned a sunny school day into an unforgettable learning experience. Fifth-grade volunteers set a shining example of peer leadership, showing that cyber safety is a shared mission across generations. As one teacher shared, “I’ve never seen them so engaged while learning. They’ll remember this day and these lessons for a long time.”
At Acronis, we believe education is most powerful when it’s active, joyful, and rooted in real-life relevance. Thanks to Desislava and everyone involved, another group of children is now better prepared to explore the digital world safely.
