JUNIOR HIGH SCRAPPING DARE PROGRAM

SWANSEA - After years of teaching the DARE program to local
middle-schoolers, Joseph Case Jr. High School recently changed
programs from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education curriculum to a
Project Alert program, which the school says provides students with
updated research methods and more interaction. Case Jr. Principal
Robert Monteiro said the switch stemmed from the school's difficulty
securing a DARE-certified officer to teach the program and the need
to improve on the traditional DARE program in order to hit more
crucial areas. When former long-time DARE officer Lt. Robert Cabral
was killed in November 2005, the DARE program was at a standstill
until Officer Shane Mello took up the lead a few months later.

But in order for Mello to become DARE certified, he had to partake in
a two-week training course, a difficult requirement for small-town
police staff.

The last two years, Mello was assisted by DARE certified officers
from Somerset.

Last fall, members from Fall River's BOLD Coalition, which implements
Project Alert, spoke at a School Committee meeting about the
advantages of the program. Monteiro and Mello spent the next few
months researching the program before unveiling the first class last month.

"We've studied the curriculum thoroughly. It's completely updated and
it helps to teach different resistance skills and coping skills,"
said Monteiro. " There is a lot more peer interaction and they cover
a whole range of issues, from smoking to marijuana to alcohol. There
is role playing where they make decisions and then they act out those
decisions." According to a BOLD Coalition study, Project Alert led to
a 30 percent reduction in the initiation of marijuana use; a 60
percent decrease in current marijuana use; a 20-25 percent drop in
cigarette use; decreased regular and heavy smoking by 33-55 percent
and helps to substantially reduce students pro-drug attitudes and beliefs.

"It presents the kids with factual information. They see that if a
person uses alcohol, these are the possible consequences rather than
just preaching prevention," said Karen Fischer, Director of BOLD. "It
even talks about some of the false information students are given,
teaching them six different ways to say no, helping them to do the
right thing." While Project Alert's program is for sixth-graders,
there is also a booster program that allows seventh-graders to get a
refresher on the issues. Fischer said that Project Alert is
constantly updated with new information and on how to work with
adolescents, something that DARE lacks. "Sometimes things are very
well-intended that just don't work," said Fischer. "It touches on a
broader aspect of everything we are trying to teach here at the
junior high, from drugs to bullying," said Mello. "It was what Mr.
Monteiro and I were looking to create until Project Alert came through.

It's not so much a guessing game anymore; this program spells it out
so kids can really grasp it." Mello said he has only taught four
classes so far, but the differences could be seen immediately.

Monteiro said Project Alert would have received a thumbs up from
"Officer Bob." Although Cabral had given a lot of time to the DARE
program - all on a volunteer basis - Monteiro said Cabral would be
happy that the school is providing the best opportunities for the
students to deal with life's many difficult situations.

"Bobby was a DARE guy, but Bobby would have approved any changes that
would benefit the kids," said Monteiro. "His No. 1 priority was
always what was best for them."