SYDNEY, 19 December 2016 – Trend Micro has announced the winners of its annual ‘What’s Your Story?’ poster competition after a record number of entries. This year’s theme, ‘What does the internet mean to you?’ saw eleven-year-old Steven Tran, from Wiley Park in NSW, awarded the $3,000 first prize.

More than 180 children across Australia entered the competition, which is open to children aged 5 to 12 years, and celebrates the savviness and creativity of the digital generation and encourages them to start and sustain a positive, online dialogue with their peers and with the world.

Runners up for the 2016 ‘What’s Your Story?’ competition were awarded $1,500 each. Bianca Ho, aged 12, from Whyalla Norrie in South Australia, and Paige Carpentier, aged 10, from Seventeen Mile Rocks in Queensland submitted the terrific entries that received runners up prizes.

The competition, run in partnership with Stay Smart Online Week, encouraged primary school children to think more about what the internet means to them by asking questions such as ‘what role does the Internet play in your life?’ ‘What do you do differently because of it?’ ‘How do you interact with others because of it?’

“This year’s competition drew more entries than ever before and we were blown away by the effort, enthusiasm and creativity of children across Australia,” said Tim Falinski, consumer director at Trend Micro Australia. “The number of quality entrants is a testament to the teachers and parents around the country who engage and encourage their children to get involved in internet safety,”

Judges included representatives from Facebook, Just Kidding Magazine, Cybershack, Stay Smart Online, and Trend Micro.

“As the internet and internet connected devices become more and more a part of children’s lives at home, school and socially, it’s so important to engage them about cyber security at a young age,” continued Falinski. “We started the ‘What’s Your Story?’ competition to encourage awareness and positive behaviours for the future of online safety.”

To learn more about the competition and to check out the winning entries visit here