POWER MOVES FOR KIDS CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO RESPOND WHEN IN DANGER.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Dressed as a mutant red Power Ranger, sheriff's Deputy Mike Shapiro appeared menacing to his ``class'' of 20 adolescent girls at Peachland Elementary School.

They giggled in recognition but used their best outside voices to order him away as he stepped toward them.

Shapiro's getup and demeanor was part of the culmination ceremonies for a radKIDS session, the second session offered since Shapiro and Gail Davis, regional manager for the Girl Scouts Joshua Tree Council, completed their own training as instructors in the youth safety program.

RadKIDS, which teaches children to Resist Aggression Defensively, is a national program in which children 8 to 11 learn to avoid being victimized. They get information and hands-on practical knowledge to handle potentially dangerous situations.

``We teach them how to be safe when they encounter a stranger or there's a fire and they're home alone. We teach them how not to be abducted,'' Shapiro said. ``It's defensive without being self-defense. We show them if they're picked up by someone, how and where to strike. If they're in a car, we help them learn to relax, then find that moment where they can strike and run away.

``We tell them if they're being abducted in a store, it's OK to break things and make a scene, to attract as much attention as possible,'' Davis said. ``With every hit, they should shout 'no' really loud.'' ``The talking part is really important because when you talk, you breathe,'' Shapiro interjected. ``Your natural reaction is to hold your breath, which gives your attacker the advantage.''

With their training financed by the city of Santa Clarita and the Girl Scouts, Shapiro and Davis initially partnered to launch the radKIDS program locally.

Davis said a city-block grant funded the protective gear and educational materials used in the training. She said the two sessions have involved several Scout troops and she has a waiting list of 12 troops ready to sign up.

Shapiro is planning to expand the training to youth groups and organizations throughout the city.

Awareness of the program has shot up since the family of former kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart created Partners in Safety, which includes the radKIDS training, to help other children avoid being abducted. The family was featured on the CBS Early Show on March 12 and Shapiro said requests for training have increased significantly since the program aired.

As Shapiro ambled through the multipurpose room, Davis readied each girl with headgear and protective gloves for three encounters with the red ``stranger.'' As he told them he was there to pick them up, each took a defensive stance and shouted, ``You're not my father!'' before asking him for the secret password and running away.

A second and third scenario involved him grabbing the child from the front and from behind in order to give them practice in their defensive strikes. When each girl hit the mark - a head butt to his face or a kick to the groin, he released them.

What seemed the hardest lesson was getting the girls to run away; they seemed to want to stay and fight once they'd landed a punch that forced the ``attacker'' to let go. But Davis encouraged them from the sidelines.

``Kick him, use your hammer fist!'' Davis shouted. ``Don't let him get you! Run away! Never stay and fight.''

``These girls are mighty strong and some of them are mighty angry,'' Shapiro said, wiping away sweat.

The girls admittedly enjoyed the fighting aspect of the program but conceded they were learning something during the two-hour sessions.

``The moves are fun and we learn good ways to be safer,'' said Jennifer Fischer, 9.

``If ever I was in a situation, I'd be aware of what to do,'' said Amanda Corr, 11.

Eight-year-old Georgie Nielsen bobbed her head in agreement.

Caitlin Cahill, 9, joined in. ``When I go outside to play with my friends, I can go a little bit further from my house and still be safe.''

A group of mothers watching the class said the girls seemed to be taking the lessons home. ``He tells them not to practice at home, for obvious reasons,'' one mother said.

To arrange for radKIDS training for a Scout troop, contact Davis at [phone]; non-Scout organizations should contact Shapiro at [phone]. Soon to be offered is a program similar to radKIDS, a rad for women that is more self-defense oriented. Information on this program, which will be taught by Reserve Deputy Donna Elliott, is available from Shapiro.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Yael Hejiriki runs away from sheriff's Deputy Mike Shapiro after a mock encounter Wednesday in the RadKIDS program.

(2) Sheriff's Deputy Mike Shapiro wears a padded suit to take punches from kids in a RadKIDS session at Peachland Elementary.

(3) Jennifer Fischer, 9, punches a menacing intruder in a program teaching youngsters how to respond to dangerous situations.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer