PRIEST RIVER — By the time they turn 18, more than 200 million girls and 100 million boys are the victim of a cyberpredator. Most of the cases involve children over the age of 13.

A program to help local youth and their parents safety navigate the digital world is being held next week at Priest River Lamanna High School.

“Youth Safety in the Digital World,” which is being presented by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the PRLHS cafeteria, 596 Highway 57. The program is being sponsored by the Priest River Police Department, West Bonner County School District, and 21st Century Community Learning Center Agoge.

“The goal is to raise awareness among both students and their parents that this is a much larger issue than they realize,” said Cherie Coldwell, 21st Century Program director at Priest River Lamanna High School, adding that 300 million — 200 million girls and 100 million boys — of the country’s youth are victimized by cyberpredators by the time they turn 18.

“We have kids in our district as young as 10 years of age sending nude selfies to strangers on the internet under threat of violence,” Coldwell told the Daily Bee in an email. “They are on dating apps where they are being catfished by adult predators, and parents aren’t even aware that there is such a thing as a teen dating app.”

For parents who may not realize how big the problem is — and that it reaches into even small, rural communities such as those in North Idaho — Coldwell noted the district is aware of at least two elementary-aged students who were asked to provide nude photos. In addition, a high school student recently ran away to be with someone she met online.

Another big problem that kids are facing these days? Cyberbullying.

“I can tell you that in the high school setting, cyberbullying is a huge problem and this is one of the topics we’ll be addressing,” Coldwell added.

In addition to raising awareness and, Coldwell added, the alarm, the program will also be covering vault apps — apps that appear innocuous but are really texting/messaging apps — child sex trafficking, the dangers of sexting/sextortion, cyberbullying/stalking, the permanence of the internet, as well the dangers of pornography, child sex trafficking, and more.

“My hope is that the students and parents in our district will have a better understanding of how dangerous the internet can be to those who don’t have a clear grasp of what it entails,” she said.

“Families should be aware of the potential for danger online as well as in the real world and they can’t prepare for what they don’t know.”

The seminar is open to all students (fifth-grade and up) and their parents who live in the West Bonner County School District.

“It’s highly encouraged that parents bring their kids so they can have an active discussion afterward,” Coldwell said.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided by Tri-Pro, Stimson and IFG and day care will be provided to parents with children too young for this content.