Pubdate: Thu, 12 Apr 2007
Source: Des Moines Register (IA)
Copyright: 2007 The Des Moines Register.
Contact:  http://desmoinesregister.com/index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/123
Author: L. Lars Hulsebus, Register Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DARE PROGRAM HELPS WESTRIDGE STUDENTS DEAL WITH DRUGS, LIFE

Sixth-graders at Westridge Elementary School showed  they know the 
damage drugs can cause at a DARE  graduation ceremony on Friday.

DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education,  is a 
national program that teaches students the dangers  of tobacco, 
alcohol and marijuana.

Friday's ceremony concluded 10 weeks of DARE sessions  at Westridge.

"This is kind of a final culmination of all their  work," said West 
Des Moines police officer Scott Davis,  who met with the kids once a 
week to teach them about  drugs and how to resist taking them. "It 
teaches the  kids a lot about peer pressure and how to identify it," 
Davis said.

The sixth-graders and their teachers dressed in  matching DARE 
T-shirts for the ceremony, which took  place in the school lunchroom. 
Parents snapped pictures  as students shook hands with police 
officers and were  given certificates for completing the program.

Students Caitlin Edwards, Rachael Wiggins, Mickel  Edwards and Maddie 
Vincent read essays they wrote about  their experiences in DARE.

"Some people say smoking makes you more of a man,"  Mickel said in 
his report, "but I know better."

"I only have one life to live, and it's my life,"  Rachael said. "I 
am in control."

The lessons of DARE were still on the kids' minds as  they posed for 
pictures and ate cookies after the  ceremony. Some students had fond 
memories of their  classmates trying on a pair of goggles that offer 
a distorted view to simulate intoxication.

"It was really fun to watch other people," said Tiana  Lynn, 
explaining how friends would stumble around in  the goggles.

But for the students who got a chance to experience the 
mock-intoxication, the experience was more helpless  than humorous.

"When I looked down at my feet I fell over," said Casey  Johnson. "It 
was so scary."

Students also reminisced about a picture of a  bacteria-covered 
tongue Davis brought to class.

"I learned, like, never, ever, ever smoke," Tiana said.  "I never 
want my tongue to look like that."

Classmate Morgan Torbert had a more succinct  description of the 
photo, and smoking in general:  "Like, eww."
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