300-PLUS LUFKIN FIFTH-GRADERS DARE TO STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS

"lf you play sports, drugs will mess you up."

That's one reason Mason McCarty, an Anderson Elementary student and
sports enthusiast, swears he'll never try drugs.

McCarty was one of more than 300 Lufkin ISD fifth-graders who
solidified a promise to remain drug-free at a Drug Awareness and
Resistance Education graduation ceremony held Friday at the Pitser
Garrison Civic Center.

The students are the 33rd group to graduate from the DARE program,
which graduates two groups per year. Officer Ben Vaughn of the Lufkin
Police Department has led the program for the entire 17 years it has
been offered in LISD.

Vaughn said over the years he's seen the program adapt to the
changing needs of the kids.

"Right now our focus is on decision-making," he said. "Fifth grade is
the perfect time to teach these kids. They're old enough to know what
you're talking about and still young enough not to have
experimented."

The LPD Crimestoppers band kicked off the ceremony in high gear. In
keeping with DARE philosophy, the only thing smoking was Randy
Stallard's electric guitar during a blistering rendition of
Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "Taking Care of Business."

Four overall essay contest winners read their entries to the group of
students, administrators and parents attending the graduation.

Reiley Parrish, the winner from Anderson Elementary, said kids who
try drugs "have nothing to lose but their lives."

"I'm never going to try marijuana," said Candyce Martin, the Slack
Elementary winner.

Cindy Venegas, the winner from Brandon Elementary said, "I want to
have friends so I pledge to be drug-free."

Samuel Moran, the winner from Coston, said DARE taught him to stay
out of risky situations.

Class essay winners were Meaghan Breidenthal and Marika Foreman from
Slack; Patrice Coleman and Christina Bogan from Brandon; Gerardo
Villalba, Michelle Beltran and Ariel Velasquez from Coston; and
Danielle Encarnacion, Jayce Guerrero, Austin Charanza and Jacob Carr
from Anderson.

Principals from each school distributed DARE diplomas to the teachers
to hand out to the students. Each principal thanked Vaughn for the
rapport he builds with the students.

Vaughn encouraged the kids to think of graduation as a beginning, not
an end.

"What you learned today will be put to use in the
future."

LISD is the only Angelina County district participating in the
program because of federal budget cuts, said Vaughn.

Lynn Torres, assistant superintendent, said President Bush didn't
request money for anti-drug programs next year, although the House
and Senate asked for $3.1 million - 10 1/2 percent less than the $3.5
million received last year. Of those funds, LISD received $44,832.

Torres says she's not optimistic funding will be approved, but the
district is committed to DARE because of its direct effect on the
kids.

"As soon as the (legislative) session ends, we'll consider funding
for the 2007-08 year, she said. "Right now it's too early to tell."