The statistics are terrifying and not one that should be happening in this country. We are a nation founded on protecting freedoms and what group more needs protecting than innocent children?

Yet there are at least 1.3 million children reported missing in the United States each year. Of those, 18,000 of them are from Ohio.

About 20 years ago, the issue of missing children surfaced and faces were advertised on milk cartons or on posters in public buildings. It brought it to the public’s attention. However, it also gave fodder to late night comedians about people ending up with their photos on the milk bottles. How tragic.

But there are those who still view this issue as one that should always be in the forefront.

And one of those persons is Ohio’s Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Earlier this week the AG’s Missing Persons Unit joined forces with a nationwide poster contest, “Bring Our Missing Children Home,” sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice.

This is a poster contest opened to all fifth grade students in the state. The goal is to develop awareness about children’s safety, show what the country is doing to make sure missing children are reunited with their families and show how a strong education can help cut down on this heinous crime.

Granted, this crime doesn’t seem to be hitting Lawrence County as hard as other places, but we still are not immune to this tragedy.

Making young children aware of what could happen is the first step to empowering them.

All fifth grade teachers in the county should have their classrooms participate in this fun way to teach a great lesson.