Pubdate: Wed, 29 Dec 2004
Source: Times, The (Gainesville, GA)
Copyright: 2004 Gainesville Times
Contact:  http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2701

PROGRAM IS WORTH THE COST TO FIGHT DRUGS AND VIOLENCE

Time and money is spent each year to teach fifth-graders the damage
that comes with drug abuse, gangs and violence. If anyone wonders
about the results, the 10-year-old students who have completed the
program can explain.

Carlos Mauricio Figueredo, a fifth-grader at Lyman Hall, wrote a paper
on completion of the program, and his first sentence speaks volumes.
Carlos said, "I feel safe because now I know what's good and bad." He
said he also can teach his brother about what he learned. Words better
than these would be hard to find.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, was taught in county schools
for a number of years, and this year the program was changed to
Avoiding Drugs, Violence and Negative Choices Early, or ADVANCE. The
ADVANCE program is based on a program from Gwinnett County that was
adapted to Hall's needs. Lessons about Internet safety were among the
subjects added. Deputies in charge of the program worked with
representatives from the Hall County School System to make sure it met
local needs while conforming to National Health Standards and the
Georgia Quality Core Curriculum.

All fifth-graders are encouraged to participate, but parents are asked
to approve the participation and also asked to be involved themselves.
In addition to teaching 10 weeks of ADVANCE, the officers also go into
kindergartens through fourth-grades telling the youngsters how to stay
safe and where to go for help if strangers approach them.

Hall deputy Lt. Gene Joy, who manages the program, said that the
students who participate learn "that there are people who care about
them and want them to have a successful life."

Carlos tells us more about what he learned: "It is important to be
drug, violence and gang free, to not end up six feet underground, to
have a happy life without health problems, to live a happy life
without having to run from the police, to be a good student and to
have my dreams come true, and to give my sons in the future a good
example."

Akeem "Doobie" Havens is another Lyman Hall fifth-grader who wrote
about what he learned in ADVANCE. His words included: "It is important
to be gang free because gangs hurt people, steal things like cars,
electronics, break into houses and write on the sides of buildings
which cost all of us money to replace or repair. It is important to be
drug free because drugs ruin your thinking, your bodies, and how you
do your work. ... It is important to be violence free because violence
causes families to yell and fight with each other. When adults fight
sometimes they hurt each other. Many times one of the family goes to
jail. When people fight with each other, the children are afraid and
when they grow up they fight because they don't know how to settle
problems any other way."

These fifth-graders soon will be at the age when children become
involved in gangs, but now they know the dangers, and maybe the
temptations will continue to lessen. Gang activity in Hall actually
has decreased somewhat because of the efforts of law enforcement.
Twenty-two gangs have been documented, but only about three of these
gangs are considered problems.

Officers arrested 13 members of the KES gang about three months ago;
their pictures appeared in the paper with the story, and this was a
strong deterrent. If graffiti is found anywhere, it's photographed,
then painted over. This is another way to send a message to gang
members saying they will not be tolerated.

The new ADVANCE program will begin again in January. Looking at what
these two young men have written about their impressions shows that
it's well worth the time and money it takes.
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MAP posted-by: Derek