D.A.R.E. VALUABLE LESSON FOR CHILDREN

The Nipawin Elks, along with the Royal Purple will once again host
the P.E.A.C.E. 100 to raise money for a worthy cause, Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.).

Millions of school children around the world benefit from D.A.R.E.,
which is a highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they
need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs and violence. D.A.R.E. was
originally founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and proved so successful
that it is now being implemented in 75 per cent of American school
districts and in more than 43 countries around the world.

D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that
teaches children from Kindergarten to Grade 12 how to resist peer
pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

This year's new D.A.R.E. officer for Nipawin and White Fox is Const.
Meagan Barteski of the Nipawin RCMP, who will be attending training
at the end of February. Barteski will be taking over for Const.
Garnet Waldbauer.

The D.A.R.E. curriculum is designed to be taught by police officers
whose training and experience give them the background needed to
answer the sophisticated questions often posed by young students
about drugs and crime. Prior to entering the D.A.R.E. program,
officers undergo 80 hours of special training in areas such as child
development, classroom management, teaching techniques and
communication skills. Forty hours of additional training are provided
to D.A.R.E. instructors to prepare them to teach the high school curriculum.

Barteski will be leading D.A.R.E. in Nipawin's Grade 6 students as
well as Grade 5 and 6 students in White Fox.

"I'm hoping to heighten the awareness of drugs and alcohol in the
community. Hopefully the kids can see whether they have friends,
family or parents that have been involved in drugs and alcohol and
recognize the symptoms," said Barteski.

D.A.R.E. goes beyond traditional drug abuse and violence prevention
programs. It gives children the skills needed to recognize and resist
the subtle and overt pressures that cause them to experiment with
drugs or become involved in gangs or violent activities.

Last year the P.E.A.C.E. 100 raised $22,000 towards the cause, and
this year their goal is $21,000.