Pubdate: Tue, 03 Apr 2007
Source: Cumberland Times-News (MD)
Copyright: 2007 Cumberland Times-News
Contact:  http://www.times-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1365
Author: Liz Beavers, Cumberland Times-News

ABOVE AND BEYOND NORMAL SCHOOLWORK

KEYSER - According to Keyser Primary-Middle School DARE student 
Brittany Miller, "only people who are dumb and think they're cool" do drugs.

She is quick to add, however, that they are not cool.

"I pledge that I will never, ever use drugs, smoke or use alcohol 
because I know what they contain," she said in the essay written at 
the conclusion of the nine-week Drug Abuse Resistance Education 
classes at KPMS.

"There are things that can kill you or harm you, so I'll never use any of it."

Based on her essay and participation in the classes, Miller was named 
Outstanding DARE Student Monday when KPMS held the first DARE 
graduation in several years at the school.

Deputy Craig Fraley, who taught the classes, said the Mineral County 
Board of Education was able to bring DARE back to KPMS this year when 
they hired him as a full-time resource officer.

Fraley said DARE classes offer students life lessons above and beyond 
their normal schoolwork.

"It's non-typical education, but it's also a life-saving education," he said.

Matthew Landes, who earned first place for his essay, agreed.

"What I learned in DARE will definitely help me about drugs 
throughout life," he wrote. "I know drugs are bad, but I did not know 
how horrible they really are. ...

"DARE will help me make wiser decisions through school and my life. 
. Because of DARE, I will never use alcohol, tobacco and any other drugs."

"I promise to stay drug-free so then I didn't have to worry about 
getting most diseases that could possibly kill me," second-place 
winner Brittany Paugh wrote.

"Thanks to Craig I won't make any wrong decisions about drugs. So now 
I know all kinds of facts about drugs."

According to third-place winner Kari Amtower, DARE "helps build 
confidence and encourage kids to say no. ... It has taught me many 
facts about how dangerous drugs are and what some of the health 
problems include. ...

"It probably had a good impact on my life now that I know these facts 
about drugs," she said.

Fraley also honored three students from each of the four DARE classes 
for their exemplary participation in the courses. Those students 
receiving participation certifications were: Danny Fife, Hayley 
Foster, Jacob Shumaker, Jenna Custer, Wesley Minshall, Debra-Lea 
Ross, Marquis Harris, Ryan Hickey, Lauren Myklebost, Joshua Bane, 
Autumn Slawter and Abby Smith.

In dismissing the students Monday, Fraley reminded them that they are 
now, when they wear their DARE T-shirts, role models for the younger students.

"What kind of example are you going to set for them?" he asked.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine