STORY COUNTY SHORTENS D.A.R.E. PROGRAM

NEVADA - A popular drug prevention program is getting a makeover in
most Story County schools.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, more commonly known as
D.A.R.E., has been shortened from 17 to eight weeks to make room for
more classroom instruction, said Story County Deputy Craig McKinney,
the main D.A.R.E. instructor.

"We talked to the schools and they were receptive to our proposal of
teaching one time a week for eight weeks," McKinney said. "(In the
past) giving us all that time took away from other times when they
could be teaching something else. It works out for the both of us."

The shortened curriculum will also give Story County deputies a chance
to attend assemblies and other out-of-school events.

"We want to keep the relationship we have with the kids," McKinney
said.

The new eight-week program, which does not have a name, will focus on
teen drinking, addiction, conflict management, violence in
relationships, crime and laws at the junior high level. The new
elementary program is still being developed.

"I really want to make sure the kids are thinking and that they
understand why people do the things that they do," McKinney said.
"Some of the topics are the same that they'd be in D.A.R.E. Some are
not.

"We are not Los Angeles where D.A.R.E. came from. We're central Iowa.
We have different problems, and we need to address those so our kids
grow up safe and make good decisions."

McKinney said he will continue to teach the 17-week D.A.R.E.
curriculum at Roland-Story Middle School.

"D.A.R.E. has served Story County well (since 1993)," said Capt. Gary
Foster of the Sheriff's Office. "But like with anything else, it's
necessary to keep up with the times."

All of the T-shirts, pens and pencils for the program will be done
locally, McKinney said. In addition, any deputy from the sheriff's
office will be able to teach the course without going through an
extensive, two-week training session.

"Depending on how this goes and the reception, I think it will
continue," he said. "I'll talk with teachers and go through it and see
what they think about it. I'll also have a little party at the end and
ask the kids to write something down or talk about how this can (be
improved)."