Pubdate: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 Source: Sooke News Mirror (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Sooke News Mirror Contact: http://www.sookenewsmirror.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2142 Author: Jim Sinclair GRAD SEASON EARLY FOR D.A.R.E. KIDS Programs may mature, and even hit old age, but for those who successfully take part in them the experience is always fresh and exciting. Take the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) curriculum, for example. The process held each year at area elementary schools has been running since it was instigated in Los Angeles back in 1983. But the message is a timeless one for each year's crop of grads - specifically, steer clear of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs no matter what the other kids may be doing, no matter what their friends may say. Sixty-seven Poirier students have graduated from the D.A.R.E. program this year and the exercise will be repeated elsewhere. What all schools have in common is the confident, high self-esteem possessed by the D.A.R.E. students. They've had time to relate incidents from their own lives, and hear from others what it's like to know, or even live with people burdened by the abuse of drugs or drink. They've seen how a made-up mind can insulate a young person from the pressure to follow a crowd, and do what, in their heart, they know is wrong. Driving home the point that it's okay to go your own way, Poirier principal Mr. Arts wore a nice shirt and tie, backwards, for the occasion. The possibility of being shunned by those making a big mistake, wouldn't seem like such a sacrifice, after all. RCMP corporal Barb Cottingham took to the piano to back up the singing of the national anthem. Congratulations were extended to the kids by Mayor Janet Evans and Corporal Garth Cunningham, D.A.R.E. supervisor for the south-Island. Five students shared essays they had written; the group did a performance and all 67 of the young achievers were presented their keepsake diplomas before the morning event was concluded. Included here is some interesting material that was made available to those taking in the March 5 ceremony at Ecole Poirier: Twenty ways to encourage your children to use drugs 1. Never eat together as a family. 2. Never have family outings which your children can look forward to. 3. Talk to your children, not with them, never listen. 4. Punish your children in public. Never praise them or reinforce positive behaviour. 5. Always solve their problems and make decisions for them. 6. Over-schedule your children. 7. Never let them experience cold, fatigue, adventure, injury, challenge, failure, frustration or discouragement. 8. Threaten your children. 9. Always pick up after them. 10. Expect straight "A" school marks from them. 11. Discourage them from talking about their feelings. 12. Never discuss your feelings with them. 13. Make your child feel their mistakes are sins. 14. Spoil your child. 15. Tell your child "Because I told you so," when they ask "why?" 16. Keep your home atmosphere in a state of chaos. 17. Keep them stressed, don't give them any down time. 18. Never display affection in front of them. 19. Be overprotective. Don't teach the meaning of the word consequence. 20. Lead by negative example. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D