Pubdate: Fri, 04 Nov 2011 Source: Commercial News (US IL) Copyright: 2011 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. Contact: http://www.commercial-news.com/contactus/local_story_020163429.html Website: http://www.commercial-news.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5131 Author: Kammie Richter Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) LOCAL TEACHER HONORED BY D.A.R.E. PROGRAM OAKWOOD - An Oakwood Grade School sixth-grade teacher picked up an award this summer after being named the Drug Abuse Resistance Education -- D.A.R.E. -- Teacher of the Year Award for 2011. Sgt. Dan Auterman of the Vermilion County Sheriff's Department nominated Patti Wise due to her dedication and commitment to the program. Wise traveled to Matteson on June 17 to a police conference to receive the award, and gave an acceptance speech to the audience filled with other educators, Illinois D.A.R.E. officers and Illinois juvenile officers. Auterman has been with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education -- D.A.R.E. -- program since 1991. Every school district outside of District 118, which cut the program when the economy took a downturn, is served by the program. D.A.R.E. is presented to either fifth-or sixth-grade students based on decisions made by school personnel. The idea is to make sure all students have had drug resistance education before reaching middle school. "The D.A.R.E. program has been in existence since 1983, and began as a joint effort between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Police Department," Auterman said. According to the D.A.R.E. website, the police officer-led program is now in 75 percent of schools in the United States, and is in 43 percent of countries around the world in order to teach children "how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives." Auterman said the state backed out of funding the program years ago, so it exists only because it is self-supported by schools. Schools receive some money from the state that has to be used for drug-education, so a portion of that can be used, and then the rest of the money is obtained through fundraising. "We have a walk-a-thon, dances, car shows and a golf outing," Auterman said. As far as effectiveness, Auterman said, "I have no statistics, but I have taught the children of previous D.A.R.E. students and I have noticed it makes it easier for them to approach me and ask questions or ask for help. It is not 100 percent effective, but I have only arrested a few former D.A.R.E. students, and that is the exception and not the rule. We have had around 1,000 kids graduate from D.A.R.E. each year, so 20,000 kids have gone through our program." Brandon Rowe was in the program last year as a sixth-grader at Oakwood Grade School. "My favorite part of D.A.R.E. was the tour of the public safety building because it gave me the opportunity to learn things about what happens when you get caught doing drugs and see a place I wouldn't normally see," he said. "I also felt the way Sgt. Auterman told us things it will stick with me for the rest of my life." Students are encouraged to ask questions during the classes Auterman and Vermilion County Sheriff's Deputy Jay Miller teach. Wise is excited about the program. "The D.A.R.E. officers have brought in samples of healthy lungs versus unhealthy lungs so the kids can see what tar and nicotine do," Wise said. "The canine unit has been at school, and the kids have taken a look inside a police car, the public safety building, the 911 call center, and even the booking area. The kids take part in role play and learn how to say no to drugs assertively. They write an essay on what the program has meant to them, and there is a graduation from the program complete with cake and punch." Auterman recalled that Wise had been a D.A.R.E. teacher for 14 years, and had "helped to set up every graduation and has worked with the PTO of the school to ensure that every class has had a graduation party with decorations and cakes herself so that no child went without." Wise credits the D.A.R.E. program with "opening kids' minds to the dangers out there, and hopefully it keeps them from crossing that road." Wise adds she is part of the D.A.R.E. team at Oakwood Grade School, which includes Wesley Miller, Nicole Johnson and Summer Farris as well as room parents who help arrange the room for the graduation ceremony. "D.A.R.E. is a good program, and if people want to donate they can send their contributions to the regional superintendent of schools, with a note that it is to be used for D.A.R.E.," Auterman said. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom