Pubdate: Mon, 20 Jun 2005
Source: North Thompson Star/Journal (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The North Thompson Star/Journal
Contact:  http://www.starjournal.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1231
Author: Jill Hayward
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

D.A.R.E. GRADS LEARN LIFE SKILLS

Graduation celebrations for over 40 D.A.R.E. students are slated for this 
Wednesday evening, June 15, at the Barriere Elementary School auditorium 
starting at 7 p.m. Children from Mrs. Matthews and Ms. Oats Grade 5 classes 
will be recipients as well as children from the Neqweyqwelsten School Grade 
5 and 7 classes from Chu Chua.

"This is a really good group of children," said D.A.R.E. Officer RCMP Cst. 
Diana Schapp, "We are very happy with all of them and it is especially nice 
to be able to include the students from Chu Chua as well. We hope everyone 
will come out and congratulate these youngsters."

The D.A.R.E. program gives kids the life skills they need to avoid 
involvement with drugs, gangs, and violence.

D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is a drug abuse 
prevention education program designed to equip elementary, middle and high 
school children with knowledge about drug abuse, the consequences of abuse, 
and skills for resisting peer pressure to experiment with drugs, alcohol 
and tobacco.

It is based on the premise that prevention is the only long-term answer to 
drug abuse. The D.A.R.E. program is taught in a classroom setting by a 
specially trained law enforcement officer, creating a positive atmosphere 
for students to interact with local police departments.
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MAP posted-by: Beth