TEACHING KIDS TO LIVE DRUG FREE

A worthwhile concept is more than just a great acronym, and D.A.R.E.
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) has the track record to demonstrate
its value.

Getting to school children in their highly impressionable ages -- the
program reinforces or introduces the anti-drug message the kids may
or may not be getting at home or elsewhere.

This spring the 10-week D.A.R.E. curriculum will run at the four
elementary schools (Saseenos, Sooke, John Muir and Poirier) in the Sooke area.

The teachers (local police) are extremely familiar with the hazards
of drug use, and focus on the positive paths in life possible when a
kid steers clear of drugs and all that come with them.

D.A.R.E. originated in Los Angeles in 1983. Millions of children have
benefitted from the program now running in three quarters of the
school districts in the United States and in 43 other countries.

As described on www.dare.com, "D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led
series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten
through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive
drug and violence-free lives."

SOBEIT Holdings and the Sooke Rotary Club, according to a recent
press release, are paying for the program to run locally this year.
The cost per student works out to be $11. Three local constables,
Heidi Jugandi, Lynn Willms and Barb Cottingham will deliver the curriculum.

The program introduces kids to the caring people behind the uniforms,
and shows how they can be approached for help in all kinds of
situations. Along with their experience as police officers, the
teachers in the D.A.R.E. program will have completed 80 hours of
special training in areas such as child development, classroom
management, teaching techniques and communication skills. Extra
training is available to qualify officers to teach the middle school material.

The program is not new to this area, and is avidly supported by Sooke
Elementary principal Margaret Price, who has experience with the
program from her postings at Wishart and Glen Lake elementary schools.

"When I was at Wishart elementary the parents did a fundraising
venture to get more police trained in it. They felt it was so
positive. The parents are part of the graduation," the principal
enthused. "They (students) actually do a program, then have a very
special day and present what they've learned to their parents. I
think that's probably one of the key things -- the kids are
committing to be drug-free, to accept that the peer pressure will be
very strong and they have to be aware of it, and not be sucked in by it."

Price is also sold on the fact that the police work in concert with teachers.

"They work together and they develop skits, and they write essays, so
it's tied right into academics. In that sense it's not just an
add-on. It incorporates a big chunk of an integrated curriculum,
which is really good."

Sticking with the positive theme, Price concluded, "When you see
students understand what they're needing to do, and having a chance
to present, in front of their peers and parents what they have
learned, it's very enabling for the children. Whether or not they
veer away from it in later life, they're going to remember where they
should be, and why they should be there."