Children can learn to defend themselves, too. An opportunity will be offered Saturday at the Ashland Area YMCA. A program called Tough Cookies will be presented in two courses â one for those 5 to 8 and one for those 9 to 12. Russell High School student Jasmine Webb brought Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) classes to the area last year for women and girls. Tough Cookies also is a program of RAD, called radKIDS, but the class is abbreviated. Webb said the class is a personal empowerment safety education program for children. âThe goal is to emplower your child to recognize, avoid, resist and, if necessary, escape violence, harm or victimization,â she said. The classes include activities to make sure children understand the skills they need to protect themwselves. Webb said means teaching enhanced personal safety knowledge and skills, increasing critical thinking skills and confidence and helping to develop positive decision-making skills.