CHALKTALK: SPRINGFIELD'S D.A.R.E. PROGRAM THRIVES

THE DRUG ABUSE Resistance Education program has gained significant national
attention recently as the latest studies grabbing headlines show that
overall teen drug use is declining.

Here in Springfield, we adopted D.A.R.E. in 1990. After a brief absence
between 1992 and 1994, it returned in 1995 and has been going strong ever
since. I'm here to say the D.A.R.E. program is alive and working very well
in Springfield!

I'd like to talk a little bit about the key reasons why that is.

Curriculum

The D.A.R.E. program was developed in Los Angeles in 1983. It's since been
adopted by police departments across the country and is now taught in 75
percent of the nation's school districts and in 44 other countries. It is
the most widely used substance abuse prevention and safety promotion program
in the world. D.A.R.E. America estimates that 35 million children will be
taught the curriculum this year.

Initially, D.A.R.E. targeted only fifth- and sixth-graders, and over time,
the program received harsh criticism for this. D.A.R.E. recognized its own
lack of follow-through, revised its existing curriculum and added programs
for kindergarten through fourth grade, as well as middle and high school
grades. These changes gave D.A.R.E. officers the ability to follow up with
students.

In Springfield, fifth-graders are taught the core curriculum. A D.A.R.E.
officer teaches one lesson per class each week for 17 weeks. We take a
comprehensive approach, teaching kids eight different ways to say "no" to a
variety of peer pressure techniques. We teach decision-making skills, as
well as the consequences of behavior. Students are given the skills to
resist risky behavior such as violence, drugs and other criminal activity,
and we teach them about fun, positive and interesting activities that are
better choices.

In the last week, students write essays about what they've learned. There's
a graduation ceremony where students are awarded their familiar D.A.R.E.
T-shirts, followed by a party.

Springfield's D.A.R.E. officers also visit kindergarten though fourth-grade
classes. This curriculum focuses on child safety issues such as bicycle
helmets, household chemicals, "stranger danger" and calling 911 in an
emergency.

We're now getting ready to implement D.A.R.E. in the middle schools. This
will not just be a repeat of the fifth-grade curriculum; instead, it adds
information about good-citizenship issues such as stress and anger
management, violence avoidance and respect for others.

Department and district commitment

Springfield has had some of the finest D.A.R.E. officers in the state. These
officers were selected to mentor and train other D.A.R.E. officers
statewide.

By policy, the Springfield Police Department allows its D.A.R.E. officers to
teach for three years. The three-year rotation ensures fresh perspective and
innovative thinking. One such innovation is a weeklong summer camp created
by a previous officer and one of our teachers. The camp is free for all
graduates of our fifth-grade program. It not only reinforces lessons already
learned, but focuses on leadership, communication skills, respect and
teamwork through a series of challenges and group activities.

We also receive excellent support and assistance from Springfield school
administration, the principals who allow us to come into their schools and
the teachers we work with in the classrooms.

Community support

>From parents who go out of their way to thank us for teaching their kids to
local businesses that donate products and services, community support for
the program has been outstanding.

We recently undertook the task of restoring a 7-year-old D.A.R.E. patrol
car. No tax dollars were spent on the project.

Local businesses donated supplies and in-kind services, and individuals put
in hours of work restoring the car so that we have the best-looking D.A.R.E.
car in the state. We plan to enter it in a national D.A.R.E. car competition
later this year.

Now entering its 17th year, the D.A.R.E. program has grown and become more
comprehensive.

Because of the support we receive from our community, the schools and our
staff, we've been able to follow its lead. These are the real reasons why
D.A.R.E. works in Springfield.

For more information on the program, check out the Web sites www.dare.com
and www.dareoregon.com.