Pubdate: Wed, 10 Nov 2004
Source: Daily Herald, The (Netherlands Antilles)
Copyright: 2004 The Daily Herald
Contact:  http://www.thedailyherald.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3566
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

SCHOOL ADOPTION PLAN TO BENEFIT YOUTHS, COMMUNITY

PHILIPSBURG--The pilot project for the School Adoption Plan (SAP), launched 
by the police at the Hillside Christian and Martin Luther King Jr. Schools 
Tuesday, is intended to benefit students and by extension the community.

SAP coordinator Carol de Palm said the two schools were selected because of 
the communities in which they are located. Eight officers, four at each 
school, will "adopt" fifth and sixth grade classes at the pilot schools and 
initially lecture to students about police, drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

The programme, also to be launched in Saba and Statia, is being executed on 
an initial amount of NAf. 320,000. An additional amount of approximately 
NAf. 100,000 is needed to publish 10 additional SAP pamphlets with 
information on theft, vandalism, environment, alcohol, gangs, traffic, 
gambling, discrimination, fireworks and sexuality, De Palm said. Three 
pamphlets on drug, alcohol and tobacco have already been produced and will 
be distributed to the pilot schools.

Some 400 students in the Windward Islands (including 220 in St. Maarten) 
are expected to benefit from the pilot phase of the project, which is 
intended to be extended to other schools.

Windward Islands Police Chief Commissioner Derrick Holiday told students 
during a ceremony to launch SAP yesterday that he was happy his officers 
had expressed interest to help "form our kids."

Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards said in brief remarks: "The programme is 
geared towards our young people because they are the future and we have to 
secure our future. The youths are part of the community and the community 
has to be safeguarded as well. Together we can make a difference in our 
country and protect our future." He called on students to "take in as much 
as you can" from the programme.

Education Commissioner Sarah Wescott-Williams also lauded the initiative, 
saying the programme had "great potential" to change lives. She said the 
fruits of the programme might not be reaped "today or tomorrow," but would 
be evident and beneficial in the long term.

Also attending Wednesday's ceremony were Inspector of Basic and Special 
Education in the Windward Islands Patricia Scott, School Board President 
Helmich Snijders and Director of the Police Academy of the Netherlands 
Antilles LPO Alpha Falbru.

The SAP programme derived from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) 
carried out in the United States of America. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D