LEE COUNTY INITIATES HIGH SCHOOL DARE PROGRAM

EWING - Looking to address the abuse of prescription drugs -
particularly OxyContin - the Lee County Sheriff's Department has
implemented a second phase of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
program in the county's two high schools.

Deputy Fred Rouse, who is doing double duty as senior high DARE
officer, explained Wednesday the 10-lesson course is just a more
advanced version of the program's offerings to fifth-graders.

"There's not much difference in what we teach. It's just more
appropriate for their age levels," he said.

Rouse said he has added a lesson that is not contained in the DARE
curriculum to address the abuse of prescription medications. This, he
said, was because of the OxyContin abuse problem in the county.

He did note that the high-school-level course addresses problems faced
by older students such as abusive boyfriend and girlfriend
relationships, and it stresses the zero-tolerance driving laws.

Although there are 10 lessons, the course takes 11 days because one
lesson takes two days to cover, he said. Lessons include three on
drugs overall, with emphasis on alcohol, heroin and harder drugs and
his added offering on prescription drugs. Other lessons touch on
causes and prevention of school violence, healthy teen relationships,
and how drugs can impair the ability to drive.

Rouse said the course is taught as part of the school system's health
education class and is designed to correlate with the Standards of
Learning.

With only three classes remaining before completing the course, Thomas
Walker High School sophomore Nichole Barton said she is finding it
helpful. She attended a private school as an elementary student and
did not get the benefit of the elementary DARE program.

"I think this makes you more aware of the law, and it emphasizes the
consequences of everything you do. Some of the laws we've discussed, I
wasn't even aware of," she said.

Barton said, fortunately, she has never found herself in a position in
which she would have to say no to drugs, but she believes the course
will be helpful if she ever does - something with which her
classmates agreed.

Brittney Green, who did complete the fifth-grade course, said the
current course has also taught her responsibility and awareness.

"I think this class makes you more aware of things. The other one said
'don't do drugs.' This one makes you aware of the consequences if you
do," she said.

Besides bringing his lessons to four classes each day at Thomas
Walker, Rouse said he arrives early before the first and stays awhile
after the last, just to be available to students who may want to talk
in private. He has been pleased that many students take advantage of
the opportunity he provides.

"Usually they just want to talk about general things, but it gives
them the opportunity to see officers as something other than the guy
writing citations. It lets them relate to us in a positive way," he
said.

Rouse will finish his course at Thomas Walker on Monday then start
over on Wednesday at Lee High School, where he will teach seven
classes per day.

Sheriff Gary Parsons said the program has been offered for several
years through the state, but he has been unable to obtain funding for
another DARE officer. Rouse, who worked third shift as a patrol
officer, volunteered to teach the course, so he decided to offer it as
a way to combat OxyContin abuse, said the sheriff.

"It's something I've always wanted to offer as sheriff, but I just
didn't have the funds to put a full-time officer on it. Fred
volunteered to come off third shift for this, and he has made it a
success. He's working a lot of long hours to make this program work,
and I really appreciate it. If it keeps just one kid off drugs, it
will be worth it," Parsons said.

The sheriff said the state DARE program funds materials used in the
course, and the Virginia State Police provided training for Rouse to
be certified through the Department of Education to teach the course.