STURGIS STUDENTS COMPLETE D.A.R.E.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) culmination ceremony
for the fifth-grade students at Sturgis Williams Middle School (SWMS)
was held last week with 108 students participating.

The special speaker was Luke Lynass, president of the student council
at Sturgis Brown High School. He began by reading from his
personal-commitment essay that he wrote and was selected to read when
he was a fifth-grader at SWMS.

"So many people and families have been destroyed each day by drugs and
alcohol; don't you be one," he said to the students. "None of us is
perfect, but I know that by staying drug-free, I am able to be active
and involved in school, and to help others. It is cool to be
drug-free," he said.

Also addressing the students were Sturgis Police Chief Jim Bush and
SWMS Principal Lon Harter.

The fifth-graders were taught by Sturgis Police Sgt. Darrel
Hatzenbuhler, who is in his 13th year of teaching D.A.R.E.
Hatzenbuhler, together with the fifth-grade teachers, selected the
following five personal commitment essays to be read at the
culmination ceremonies.

D.A.R.E. Essay

By Rebecca Madden

I like D.A.R.E. I learned a lot of things from D.A.R.E. I learned that
tobacco and drugs affect your brain, mouth, throat, heart and liver. I
think that D.A.R.E. should keep going. It will help a lot of kids make
better choices.

Never use tobacco, smoke or drink or bad things can happen like
short-term memory loss, yellow teeth, bad breath and it could make you
sick. So say no!

The D.A.R.E. decision making model will make more people stop and
think about using these products. It's very important to remember this
model. If you are mad, don't use violence or don't try smoking or
drinking; maybe just punch a pillow or squeeze something squishy.

I know going to D.A.R.E. will help me make wiser choices. I feel that
D.A.R.E. should stay around for generations to teach kids about saying
no to these things. I will try to never use these products but if I
do, I will try to remember the D.A.R.E. decision-making model. I hope
my essay helps others make better choices than before.

D.A.R.E. Essay

By Jaden Nelson

I learned the D.A.R.E. decision-making model; it helps me make healthy
choices. I thought D.A.R.E. was fun. It told me what drugs, tobacco
and alcohol can do to your body.

The D.A.R.E. decision-making model helps me make good choices by using
define, assess, respond and evaluate. It's important to be drug free,
to stay healthy, and avoid violence to stay out of trouble. D.A.R.E.
will make me think twice when someone offers me drugs, tobacco or alcohol.

I will use the D.A.R.E. decision-making model against all of my
problems. I will make the wise decisions when I am offered alcohol,
tobacco and drugs, say no, walk away, and tell a parent. I will keep
my commitment by staying away from those people who use alcohol,
tobacco and drugs.

I will not use tobacco because it can give cancer. I'm underage, and
it's a waste of money. I will not use alcohol because I'm underage;
alcohol gives you memory loss, it is also a waste of money. I'm not
using drugs because I will end up in prison because it's illegal. Out
of those three things, you get nothing good, but you get in trouble
and the money you have will be gone fast because you will be addicted
to tobacco and drugs, so that will make you buy more.

D.A.R.E.

By Erika Cerveny

The D.A.R.E. program is an excellent program. It teaches kids the
dangers of drugs and keeps kids safe and helps them make the right
decisions. I have learned the decision making model and the
consequences of making bad decisions.

In D.A.R.E., I have learned about drugs and how to stay drug free. I
have learned to avoid violence by staying out of areas where I may be
in or near danger. I have learned to stay drug free by making good
decisions and choosing my friends wisely, and knowing what's bad or
irresponsible. D.A.R.E. has made me want to be a responsible person
and to make wise choices so my life can be long and my dreams can come
true.

It is important to stay drug free and avoid violence because it keeps
you happy, healthy, and around for as long as possible. I now know
that I must remember to define the problem, assess my choices,
respond, and then evaluate my decision, just like the decision making
model. I believe my time spent in D.A.R.E. was more than worth it and
I will use the skills I have learned for many years to come. This is
why I feel the D.A.R.E. program is excellent.

D.A.R.E.

By Hannah Peterson

I had always been told how unhealthy drugs, cigarettes and alcohol
are, but when I started taking D.A.R.E. classes, I learned how
dangerous these things can really be to my health. Some examples of
the danger include that there are 200 known poisons in cigarette
smoke, and alcohol can damage every organ in your body. I am glad that
Officer Hatzenbuhler came to our room and taught D.A.R.E. because when
I get older his lessons and information will help me make good choices.

D.A.R.E. will have a big impact on my life now and in the future. If I
smoked cigarettes and marijuana, the poisons in the smoke would
destroy my lungs and turn them black. In the future, I might want to
be a singer or a cross-country runner and if my lungs are destroyed, I
can't do either of those things well. Also, drugs and alcohol ruin
your coordination and reflexes.

In Tae Kwon Do, I need to be able to defend myself quickly. If I drank
alcohol, I wouldn't be able to react quickly or remember my kicks or
punches. I also learned how to say no to drugs without using violence.
For example if somebody asked me to smoke a cigarette, I could say no
thanks and just walk away.

The D.A.R.E. classes have taught me why I should not use drugs,
alcohol and cigarettes. I am making a commitment to myself that I will
not use any of those things because when I get older I want to be
successful and healthy in life. To keep my promise I will remember my
D.A.R.E. classes Officer Hatzenbuhler has taught me. He has taught me
how to make the right decision and not bad choices about using
alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. I like knowing in my future that I will
be healthy.

D.A.R.E. Essay

By Megan Iverson

I have learned that drugs, tobacco and cigarettes can hurt your body.
Cigarettes can give you shortness of breath. When someone asks you to
take drugs, make a good decision and just say no. I think not doing
drugs is a good decision. When you're not doing drugs, you can have
good smelling breath, you can breathe fine and you won't die young.

Being drug free makes me happy. I don't think that anybody wants to
grow up and die young from cancer or not feel good ever. If you want
to grow up, make your family proud and have a great long life and a
family then you should stay drug free.

I will stay drug free because I want to be a good person and set good
examples for others around me. Doing drugs is one of the worst things
you can do to your body and you can't get a new body if you ruin
yours. We only have one life and I would rather live and make the most
out of life. I want to take good care of my body and be there to see
my kids one day get married. When I get older, I want to be a great
example and not hurt my body by doing dumb things.

I am Megan Iverson, and I choose to be drug free and I hope others
follow me, and help others stay drug free. The D.A.R.E. class has
helped me understand the importance of staying away from drugs and
tobacco.