RIO RANCHO, N.M. (KRQE) – The Rio Rancho Public Schools District (RRPS) is just weeks away from starting the Digital Defenders program. It's aimed at teaching children about how to stay safe while using the internet. The program teaches students how to deal with cyberbullying, what information to keep safe, and tips on avoiding strangers online. Story continues below News: New Mexico lawmakers express frustration over CYFD struggles, turnover rate Trending: VIDEO: Customer orders in Navajo, surprised when worker understands her New Mexico: Gov. Lujan Grisham responds to Texas placing razor wire facing New Mexico Report: Man who fell from the third story of downtown Albuquerque bar files lawsuit "You shouldn't be talking and meeting random people you don't know that try to talk to you online," said 5th-grade student Riley to the Rio Rancho School Board explaining her experience in the program. Riley is a student at Martin Luther King JR. Elementary School in the Rio Rancho Public Schools District. She's been a member of the Digital Defenders since its launch last school year. Riley and several others were at the school board meeting Monday and explained what they like about the program, and what they learned. "We learned about not sharing personal and private information with people we don't know," Riley added. "I like it when we got to design our own video game that was about being kind and staying safe while playing online video games with others," said Delilah. The program is available for all 4th and 5th graders in the district and will expand this year to Lincoln, Rio Rancho, and Eagle Ridge Middle Schools. It's an eight-week after-school program that teaches students how to be safe online. "They review, they learn about digital citizenship. They have topics like, media balance, digital footprints, what to share, what not to share on the internet," said Terri Meier, Director of Education Technology for RRPS. The program was made possible through a $78,000 grant in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Justice, Google, and the district. Last year, 182 Rio Rancho students went through the program. They hope to increase that number this year. "I think all students and all adults need to learn how to navigate the digital world," Meier said. "They need to be responsible; they need to be safe." The program will begin Oct. 1 and will end Nov. 19th.