2008 DARE PROGRAM CONSIDERED A GREAT SUCCESS

ALIX Martin- Asmus pledges to lead a drug free life, as does Barry
McLoughlin.

This was the third year Sioux Lookout OPP Community Services Officer
Constable Mark Gaudet has taught the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance
Education) program to Grade 6 students at Sioux Mountain and Sacred
Heart Schools and he feels this year's program was another success.

More than 100 people attended the DARE graduation June 13 at Sioux
Mountain Public School.

The graduation was emceed by Gaudet and included skits on saying no,
getting out of bad situations, and making smart choices.

Sponsors of the program were acknowledged along with teachers and
schools.

Winning essays about what students took away from the program were
also read.

"I think if you look at the graduation ceremony, that's a great
reflection of how well the program went. Obviously the kids were all
excited. There was a lot of support there, parents, brothers, sisters
that were in the crowd," Gaudet said.

Gaudet was particularly happy to see so many parents in attendance for
the graduation. "The DARE program relies on more than just me being in
the schools. You also need school support and you also need the
parents involved. That's why we have the DARE graduation, so they can
become a part of it. Now they'll (students) go home and guaranteed the
parents are going to ask them, what else did you learn?

And the kids are going to tell them. Parents have already told me, my
son or daughter came home and told me this or that. I had a lot of
parents come up to me and tell me it was a great program. That their
kids have learned a lot."

Commenting on what kids learn through the DARE program, Gaudet said,
"A lot of the things are facts about drugs, alcohol, tobacco. They get
the facts and now they're armed with the ammunition they need. If
someone were to pressure them they know what it actually is."

The program, Gaudet made clear, is not about him going into classes
and using his role as an authority fi gure to scare kids away from
drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

"It's exactly the opposite. I go in there. We give them some
facts.

We go through some different self esteem building things. They learn
ways to say no, how to be confident when they say no, how to stay out
of situations, and why they should say no. This gives them the
knowledge and the confidence to make smart decisions on their own."

Gaudet continued, "They learn to define, assess, respond and
evaluate. Is there a problem? Is there a situation here? What are my
options? Making a decision and then evaluating it, did I do the right
thing? What are the consequences?"

The program also teaches teamwork, getting along with others, and
reinforces values such as courtesy, honesty, manners and respect.

The program runs for an hour, once a week, for 12 weeks.

Gaudet also conducts the DARE program for Grade 10 students and
another officer deals with Grade 8 students.

Gaudet said those are pivotal years for young people. "Grade 6 is when
the friendships and the cliques start to happen, puberty. Grade 8 is
the year before they go into high school. and the Grade 10s are
thinking about getting their driver's licences and starting to think
about their careers."

Gaudet expressed thanks to the sponsors that make the program happen
and schools and teachers.

He said community involvement is essential to the success of the
program and the community of Sioux Lookout has been exemplary in
backing the program.

Students thought Gaudet was a good teacher and had a lot to say about
the DARE program.

Kaitlin Marshall commented, "It was fun. Something that I felt was
interesting was that second hand smoke can actually kill you."

Erika Serson said, "It was really cool and it really had an impact on
me. Constable Gaudet was a good teacher."

Cara Wesley stated, "It was fun. The skits and the games were
great."

Barry McLoughlin said, "It was really good. I thought it was going to
be boring but it was fun."

He said he now feels better equipped to make smart choices in the
future.

Mathew Brunton commented, "It was lots of fun. Before, I didn't know
what drugs exactly did, but now I do and drugs are bad."

Jeremy MacDonald stated, "It was fun because I got to learn and play
games."

Something he learned, ". smoking kills 45,000 people a
year."

Taylor Anderson commented, "I really enjoyed it. Not only did it tell
us not to do drugs and alcohol, but why. It gave us the facts about
what it does to your body. I enjoyed acting and doing the skits."

Christina Romyn said, "I liked the program because we were able to
learn lots of facts and if we're ever in a real life situation we'll
be able to get out of it easier."

Alix Martin-Asmus concluded, "I thought it was really fun. I really
liked it. It gave me a chance to learn a lot about drugs and alcohol.
It will help me make smart choices in the future."