Pubdate: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 Source: Daily Times Leader, The (West Point, MS) Copyright: Daily Times Leader 2008 Contact: http://www.dailytimesleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1655 Author: Jennifer Gentile Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) CENTRAL SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARN DANGERS OF DRUGS Standing before a class of fifth graders Tuesday at Central School, Detective Sgt. Zate McGee told students what they could expect for the next several weeks. "We're going to talk a lot about drugs and alcohol and abuse of those things," McGee said. Over the next 10 weeks, she will be visiting four fifth grade classrooms at Central to teach the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program, commonly known as D.A.R.E.. "This semester, I have 264 students at Central," McGee said. Next semester, D.A.R.E. will come to Oak Hill Academy and other fifth grade classes at Central. According to the D.A.R.E. Web site, the program began in 1983 in Los Angeles and has since been implemented in 75 percent of the nation's school districts. Police officers like McGee lead a series of classroom lessons designed to help children resist peer pressure and lead drug-free lives. McGee laid out the rules of D.A.R.E. to her first class of fifth graders Tuesday Morning - including being positive and respectful. "A large part of it (on the first day) is to get them to know me," she said, explaining that children may associate police officers with negative events and may be afraid of them. Addressing the kids, she said, "I don't want you to be intimidated by me because I wear a uniform." Latrenda Fenton, the class's teacher, added, " them seeing a police officer, it makes them more comfortable being around them and understand they are here to help them." Through the program, Fenton said, she hopes her students gain "more awareness to the effects of drugs and alcohol and how being drug free can help them achieve and be successful because they will be able to have a clear mind and a healthy body." McGee asked the students if they could define the words that comprise the D.A.R.E. acronym. She explained that a drug "is any substance that causes the body to act differently other than food" and that abuse "means the misuse of something." Hearing several definitions of resistance, she suggested, "how about just saying no?" By asking for a show of hands, she found most students in the class had heard the phrase "just say no." "There's more to it, a lot more," she said. "I'm going to teach you how to say no." In saying no, she added, "I've got to convince that person that I'm not going to do that and I'm going to do the right thing." At the end of every session, McGee said, the children would have a chance to have their questions answered. They can write any question they like and submit it anonymously to the D.A.R.E. box in their classroom. Throughout the program, the classes will participate in a variety of activities. For example, they will play in skits about peer pressure and use goggles to simulate the effects of drunk driving. When the 10 weeks has ended, the students will have a graduation. Each student will receive a certificate and medallion while some will be recognized as winners of an essay and drawing contest. McGee said the students that began the program this week should probably graduate before Christmas. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake