Pubdate: Sun, 27 Nov 2005
Source: Quesnel Cariboo Observer (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Quesnel Cariboo Observer
Contact:  http://www.quesnelobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1260
Author: Stephen Braverman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

STUDENTS D.A.R.E. TO BE HEALTHY

Dozens of Dragon Lake elementary school students have  the knowledge
they need to make healthy choices about  drugs and alcohol after
graduating from the Drug Abuse  Resistance Educationprogram on Tuesday.

A total of 51 students from Grades 5 to 7 completed the  D.A.R.E.
program.

D.A.R.E. officer Const. Bernna Barkman of the Quesnel  RCMP said the
program was excellent.

"We had good participation and interaction amongst the  students,
teachers and myself," she said, "and parents  are kept informed with
what's going on."

D.A.R.E. involves a nine-lesson curriculum with  students completing
work books, demonstrating good  behaviour in class, keeping their
bodies free from  drugs, writing a D.A.R.E. report and signing a
pledge  to make wise decisions about alcohol, tobacco and other  drugs.

The D.A.R.E. program started in Los Angeles, California  and has since
expanded to Canada, Barkman said.

"It's hard to measure the effectiveness of the  program," Barkman
said, "but it's well-received by  parents, students, teachers and the
community in  general."

Barkman said most kids are exposed to drugs and alcohol  at an early
age and are vulnerable to experimenting  with them, but how much
they're at risk varies from  child to child.

"With the support of everyone involved, we're  encouraging youth to
make positive choices and staying  out of risky situations," Barkman
said.

A D.A.R.E. program is also being held at St. Ann's  Catholic School,
with 35 students expected to graduate  in December, Barkman said.

The essays written by the students prove how important  and effective
the D.A.R.E. program can be.

Student Sam Marleau wrote, "I believe that the D.A.R.E.  program,
taught to us by our D.A.R.E. officer, is  educational and useful to
all students. I am now better  prepared to resist and avoid encounters
with drugs and  alcohol.

"Being aware of facts, such as tobacco kills 45,000  people in Canada
or alcohol can cause depression and  lead to heart attacks or comas,
is incentive to avoid  these substances."

Shauna Regner wrote, "Saying no to all these things is  a healthy and
wise decision. I also learned about peer  pressure, when someone your
age (peer) pressures you  into doing something you don't want to do.

"I learned how to say no. There are many ways. You can  give the cold
shoulder or walk away or just say no. The  most important thing that I
learned was that I'm worth  it to say no to drugs, alcohol and peer
pressure."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin