STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM D.A.R.E.

The leaders of tomorrow at Hollister Middle School finished a
program on Friday that will help ensure they make better choices in
the future.

Hollister was able to hold its first Drug Abuse Resistance Program
graduation Monday morning for its fifth- and sixth-grade classes.

Traditionally, the program is only taught to fifth-grade students,
but because Hollister's sixth-graders did not get to participate in
the program last year they were invited to do so this year.

"Last year, our fifth-graders got passed up," said Middle School
Principal Mary Lou Combs. "So, when we set up for this year's
fifth-graders, we set it up for the sixth-graders as well, so that
no one would get passed up, because I believe this is one of the
best drug prevention programs out there."

Mayor David Tate and State Rep. Dennis Woods spoke at the graduation
and expressed how proud they are of the students.

"I am very proud," Tate said to the students. "This is really a big
thing that you have done. By going through D.A.R.E you have learned
to make right choices, and I know you will."

Woods issued a challenge to the students.

"I stand before you a 60-year-old man, who has never tasted beer,"
Woods said. "I challenge you to come back and stand upon this stage
someday and say the same thing to the children of that generation."

Taney County Deputy Chris Sims taught the 10-week program to the
children and also had encouraging words for them at graduation.

"The most important thing I tried to teach to these students was how
to respond," Sims said, "and I honestly believe they know how to do that."

Out of the 170 students that received graduation honors, nine of
those students were specially recognized for having the best D.A.R.E
report essays, summing up what they had learned from Sims, teachers,
and high school role models.

Fifth graders honored for their essays were Morgan Blevins, Tiffany
Roberts, Breana Figueroa and Kathryn Jensen.

Sims said teachers narrowed down which essays they felt were best,
then let dispatchers at the sheriff's department and his wife read
the essays to help him decide which was the best.

"I wanted the students to put what they had learned into their own
words," Sims said of the criteria the essays were judged upon.

Roberts was recognized as having the best overall D.A.R.E. report in
the fifth grade, which she read for the students, teachers, school
staff and employees and parents in attendance.

She read, "Be wise don't throw away your life because you see
someone else do it (drugs) ... Wouldn't you rather die of old age
than from drug and alcohol abuse?"

Enrique DeWolf, Ashley Vest, Kristen Kennedy and Arjane Stephenson
were the sixth graders that were honored for their essays. Sims said
the sixth grade classes voted on the one they liked best.

Sims went against the classes and recognized Skyla Gunter as having
the best overall.

"This is one I felt was best and my wife and dispatchers agreed," Sims said.

Gunter also read her essay which said, "D.A.R.E is wonderful and has
taught everyone to make good choices ... It has helped me be the
person I want to be and that is drug free."