Pubdate: Wed, 21 Apr 2010
Source: Valley Echo, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010 The Valley Echo
Contact:  http://www.invermerevalleyecho.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2140
Author: Dave Lazzarino - Invermere Valley Echo

JAL STUDENTS DARE TO SUCCEED

For some, this question is not an easy one to tackle. But a class in 
Invermere demonstrated this week that they can deal with the toughest 
of questions with respect, confidence and some common sense on their side.

The Grade 5 class at Invermere's J. Alfred Laird elementary school 
has just finished the final class of the D.A.R.E. program. D.A.R.E. 
stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education and aims to empower school 
children with facts about drugs so they can resist the pressure to 
become involved in them.

As part of their last class, students played a game with Const. 
Balderston, the local RCMP officer teaching the class. They were 
asked some tough questions about how they would react to situations 
involving drugs and alcohol and were also able to write down 
questions and submit them through an anonymous question box. 
Balderston, who has been teaching the course now for a few years 
admits that, despite their young age, students can come up with some 
surprising comments, particularly when it comes to areas like advertising.

"It blows your mind to see how intelligent kids are at this age when 
you play them an ad and ask them, 'What are they trying to tell you 
in this ad?'" said Balderston, who said kids are very quick to see 
the contradictions that can be found between ads and facts they are taught.

The program began in Los Angeles in 1983 and has now spread across 
North America and Europe. Balderston said the program run in the 
Columbia Valley is one of the better ones he has heard of in the 
province. And it all culminates with the D.A.R.E. graduation.

"It's a huge event," he said, "all the parents fill the gymnasium and 
students do skits and even do some of their own music."

This is also only one of the many approaches local police are taking 
to address the problem of drug and alcohol abuse in the valley.

Students in earlier grades will take part in W.I.T.S., a program to 
combat bullying and peer pressure. The D.A.R.E. program also has 
curriculum for students in Grades 7 and 9 and local RCMP are also 
holding parent meetings to inform parents of the realities of drugs 
and how to help their kids make proper decisions. They also play road 
hockey with school kids to bring more familiarity to the local law 
enforcement. Finally, RCMP are very supportive of one-on-one reading 
help for kids in the area. According to Balderston, statistics have 
shown that children who are spending their free time involved in 
activities and are doing well with their studies are more likely to 
avoid issues involving drug and alcohol abuse.

In future, the RCMP hopes to extend their reach outside of the 
classroom and offer more information sessions to adults about the 
facts behind drug use.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart