MOTIVE 8 PROGRAM PROVIDES REFRESHER COURSE TO GRADE 8 STUDENTS ON
PERILS OF ILLEGAL DRUG USE

For several years now, Grade 6 students in Halton have been taking
part in the D.A.R.E. program, (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), which
gives students the information and skills to avoid involvement with
drugs.

When students make it to Grade 8, they sometimes need a refresher to
remind them of the many perils in society, again, mostly related to
illegal drugs.

The Motive 8 program is a follow-up to D.A.R.E., addressing drug abuse
prevention at the Grade 8 level. The program was developed to support
students at a time in their lives when they are vulnerable to negative
influences.

Originally developed in 1998, the Motive 8 program was revamped in
2002 an again in 2005, to provide that 'refresher' before they head
off to high school. The program involves seven lessons, some taught by
the teachers, and others by police and public health nurses.

Locally, Halton Regional Police Education Services Constable Laurel
Barnett visits all the schools in Halton Hills to remind the Grade 8
students that there are some dangers to be faced out there.

"For the first lesson, I come in and talk about things like marijuana,
ecstasy, date-rape drugs and katimine," said Barnett, "And I also show
a video about club drugs or designer drugs, and it also covers the
misuse of prescription drugs in society."

Barnett says the second part of her presentation covers the new laws
that kids going into Grade 9 might face.

"When they are in Grades 7 and 8, the students are coming into an age-
12 and 13- where they can be charged criminally for their actions. The
Grade 8s need to know before they head off to high school, that their
responsibilities, under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the
Criminal Code, have increased dramatically."

Suddenly, these students have become old enough to be charged with
some adult crimes.

"Once in high school, their peer group also becomes four years older
than them," continued Barnett, "they go from being the oldest at
school, to being the youngest in high school.

"It's our 'last chance' to give them a little bit of a lesson in
responsibility," says Barnett.

Barnett says the rest of the program involves a public health nurse
coming into the classroom to talk about dealing with stress, and the
teachers give the students lessons on decision-making and drug use.

Although Barnett looks after all the schools in Halton Hills, only the
schools with Grades 6 and 8 have D.A.R.E. and Motive 8, of which there
are nine.

But Barnett is also responsible for other police programs with the
remaining schools, of which Halton has many, throughout the various
grades.

In Grade 1, police officers introduce themselves to students so that
children learn at a very young age that police are helpful and
approachable.

Grade 4 and 5 students learn about Internet safety, bullying,
vandalism and other topics that directly affect them, while Grade 7
students learn about harassment, bullying, and other issues that
affect pre-teens and teenagers.