Pubdate: Wed, 12 Apr 2006
Source: Mayerthorpe Freelancer (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 The Freelancer
Contact:  http://www.mayerthorpefreelancer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/733
Author: Rosemary Austen, Mayerthorpe Freelancer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

STUDENTS DARE TO LIVE HEALTHY

Elmer Elson Elementary Grade 6 Students Enthusiastically Look Ahead  
To A Life Free Of Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs And Violence

MAYERTHORPE -- Elmer Elson elementary Grade 6 students  
enthusiastically look ahead to a life free of tobacco, alcohol, drugs  
and violence as they officially graduated from the RCMP directed DARE  
program.

DARE, an acronym for drug abuse resistance education, is a  
comprehensive prevention education program designed to equip school  
children with skills to recognize and resist social pressures to  
experiment with drugs and resist violence. The DARE program utilizes  
law enforcement officers to teach a formal curriculum to students in  
a classroom setting. DARE gives special attention to fifth and sixth  
grade students to prepare them for entry into intermediate and high  
school, where they are most likely to encounter pressure to use drugs.

Local Grade 6 students completed a nine-week course officially  
graduating from the program in a special assembly held Thursday  
evening. Students were awarded a certificate for their hard work and  
ongoing commitment to the program.

Local teachers say they are thrilled with their students'  
accomplishments and say they have learned a great deal and are very  
happy students had the opportunity to participate.

"They loved it, they learned a lot and there was lots of interaction  
and ideas through skits and discussion," said Grade 6 teacher Brenda  
Henrikson.

She said it was really effective to have a uniformed law enforcement  
officer working in the classroom.

"That is what makes it a special program, an RCMP officer comes in  
and offers [their] perspective and applies their knowledge, it really  
make students listen and learn."

This year Mayerthorpe RCMP Const. Cindie Dennis taught the course.  
Teachers made a special point to thank her for a job well done. "She  
interacted with the students really well and did a great job. It was  
a great success," Henrikson concludes.
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MAP posted-by: Jackl