Revved Up Kids Starts Today

Children will get the opportunity to learn self defense and how to prevent being abducted at a class being offered today in .

geared toward children ages 6-10 at the on Transit Avenue. The Alpharetta-based Revved Up Kids teaches parents how to start the conversation. It also uses a video-based training component to teach children appropriate safety behaviors and self-defense skills that they can use as safety mechanisms.

Although the class has a capacity for 16 children, only eight had registered. Revved Up Kids Co-Founder Allison Neal said that's likely because of vacations, camps and other activities associated with summer.

"We tend to run slower in the summer than we do the rest of the year," Neal said.

This will be the only class held in Canton until school begins in the fall.

"People have their kids in camp and swim team," Neal said. "It gets a little more challenging to fill a class with individual participants. I’m looking forward to more success and more classes in the fall."

In April, a run was held at to raise money to hold Revved up Kids programs in Canton. Shanonn Hale, who planned the , was almost abducted as a child and said she was inspired after hearing about the abuduction and murder of 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera last year.

Hale raised approximately $3,900 from the event, which Neal said could fund 10-20 classes.

"We’re giving her almost a break-even rate," Neal said. "We’re doing it for $250 a class. Conceivably, we’ve got a lot of times that we can hold this class."

The class will be held from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.