Pubdate: Fri, 16 Jan 2004
Source: Oakland Tribune, The (CA)
Copyright: 2004 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.oaklandtribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/314
Authors: Officers Jarrod Suth, and Paul Hischier, Alameda Police Department

CONGRATULATIONS TO ANOTHER CLASS OF DARE GRADUATES

THE ALAMEDA High School Gym was filled with electricity Thursday for the 
35th Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) graduation ceremony. Some 500 
fifth-graders from across the Island gathered with their families, friends, 
teachers, DARE officers and others to celebrate their completion of the 
anti-drug program. This brings the total to some 16,000 DARE graduates 
since the program began in Alameda schools in 1986. DARE is a comprehensive 
10-week program that educates Alameda youth about the danger of drugs, 
alcohol and violence. The specific task is to teach kids skills to resist 
the pressures to experiment with alcohol, tobacco and marijuana and make 
healthier and wiser decisions. We graduate almost 1,000 students each year 
and every graduation celebration reminds us of the great community, team 
effort to educate our future leaders. DARE is funded by the Alameda Police 
Department and the Alameda Unified School District but counts on generous 
financial support from across the community.

We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous 
donation to the DARE Program: Elks Lodge #1015, which contributes 1,000 
DARE T-shirts each year for the students; Harsch Investment 
Corporation-South Shore Center and Park Street Business Association for the 
gift certificates to the winners of the essay and poster contest; and 
Safeway at South Shore for the helium for the DARE balloons. Without the 
support from these businesses, the DARE graduation would not be a huge hit.

This year, Taryn Aguiar from Alameda High School, who is also a former DARE 
graduate, sang an inspirational song. Our Alameda Police Volunteers were on 
hand once again to help us pull off a successful graduation. They are an 
invaluable support to our department and help us do our job more efficiently.

Once again, congratulations DARE graduates on a job well done. Don't forget 
what you've learned; apply it, and you will have a happier, healthier, 
drug-free life.

For more information on the DARE program, contact the COPPS Unit at 
337-8305 or visit DARE's Web site at www.dare.com

Officers Jarrod Suth and Paul Hischier staff the Alameda Police 
Department's Community Oriented Policing Preventative Services (COPPS) 
unit. Their column appears Fridays. They can be reached at 748-4508, ext. 
3305. Check out the department's Web site at www.ci.alameda.ca.us and click 
on the police department option.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart