Rio Rancho Public Schools implements new program to keep children safe online

RIO RANCHO, N.M. – The Rio Rancho School District is seeing some success with teaching children about online safety. It's called the Digital Defenders program, and it's starting up again.

The eight-week course begins Tuesday at all elementary schools in Rio Rancho and three middle schools. It helps teach kids how to navigate the online world and, more importantly, stay safe while they do.

"As things progress in our world, more and more stuff is happening on the internet, and we need to make sure that our kids are safe," said Melissa Eisenberg, a Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary education technology specialist.

In this day and age there's a lot online, and while it can be used for good, it can also be harmful.

"It's really important for students, especially as young as third, fourth, fifth graders, to be very aware of themselves online," said Eisenberg.

Eisenberg is one of the advisors for Rio Rancho Public Schools' Digital Defenders program.

"We have students, grades two through five, interacting with different digital citizenship lessons, topics, things like that. Like their digital footprint, how they can stay safe online and private and personal information they should or shouldn't share," Eisenberg said.

This is the second time the district is offering the course.

"We were awarded a grant that is actually ending in 2025 where we were able to run the program for two years," said Eisenberg.

Eisenberg hopes they can find a way to go even longer. She says she's seen the success first hand.

"We learn how to be safe on the internet," said Delilah, a fourth grader.

Delilah took the course last year, and she's excited to take it again.

"My favorite thing I've learned so far is learning that how the internet can be dangerous and can be safe," Delilah said.

Delilah told us she learned not to interact with anyone she doesn't know on the internet, which is something she might not have known before becoming a digital defender.

"Before the class, I was sometimes when my time was over on my Nintendo, I would try to sign in to their account to put more time on it," said Delilah.

Another aspect of the course is after the kids learn, they head back into the classroom to teach their peers.

"Having that older sibling or older student type interaction is really more powerful than even an adult saying like, 'Hey, be careful,' because it's your peer for them," Eisenberg said.

Eisenberg emphasized having courses like these are more important than ever.

"We are here as educators to raise good citizens in the world, and part of that, especially in the 21st century, is making sure they're good digital citizens, so making sure students are safe and kind," said Eisenberg.

You might be thinking second grade, or 8 years old, is a little young to be learning such important topics, but Eisenberg says they're seeing kids at even earlier ages use technology or even social media.

She says building the foundation of internet safety at those early ages helps solidify it as they grow.