Pubdate: Sun, 05 Dec 2004
Source: Interlake Spectator, The (CN MB)
Copyright: 2004 The Interlake Spectator
Contact:  http://www.interlakespectator.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2164
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

WEST INTERLAKE RCMP URGE STUDENTS TO TAKE A DARE

Interlake Spectator -- Sgt. Bob Bannatyne and Cpl. Bob Chabot, of the West 
Interlake RCMP Detachment, will again be instructing the D.A.R.E. program 
at West Interlake Schools starting in January 2005.

D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is a collaborative 
effort by law enforcement officers, teachers, students, parents and the 
community to offer an education program in the classroom to prevent drug 
abuse and violence among youth.

The D.A.R.E. program is taught to Grade 6 students as they are considered 
to be at the age when young people start experimenting with drugs. D.A.R.E. 
helps students recognize and resist the many direct and subtle pressures 
that influence them to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and 
other drugs.

The program offers preventative strategies to enhance those protective 
factors -- especially bonding to the family, school and community -- which 
appear to foster the development of resiliency in young people who may be 
at risk for substance abuse or other problem behaviours. These strategies 
focus on the development of social competence, communication skills, 
self-esteem, empathy, decision making, conflict resolution, sense of 
purpose and positive alternatives to drug abuse and other destructive 
behaviors.

The D.A.R.E. program is organized into 17 45-minute lessons taught by law 
enforcement officers with the assistance of the home room teacher.

Sgt. Bannatyne will be instructing D.A.R.E. at St. Laurent and Eriksdale 
schools while Cpl. Chabot will instruct the program at Ashern and Lake 
Manitoba First Nations schools. D.A.R.E. was an overwhelming success at 
these schools in 2004 and the same success is expected to carry on into 
2005 and beyond. 
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