STUDENTS DARE TO RAISE MONEY ON HALLOWEEN

Kids Speak Out, School News

Oct. 31 is a date we all know as Halloween. But, the people of the
St. Joan of Arc Elementary School community will remember it also as
the date of their 5th annual DARE Walk-a-thon.

This year's theme was a Halloween costume parade. The whole school
took part in raising money to support the DARE program by parading in
costume around the school community. The costumes worn were a
combination of the wild, wacky, wonderful and weird!

The DARE program is run by Halton Regional Police and teaches Grade 6
students about the harmful effects of drugs, violence and peer
pressure. DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Young
students across North America learn about the negative consequences
of drugs like alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, from a DARE officer
who visits their school for 10 weeks.

Each lesson is 40 minutes long, and takes place once a week. The
program targets Grade 6 students to prepare them for high school
where they are most likely to experience pressure to use drugs.

Students successfully complete the program by: participating in all
the lessons, demonstrating good drug-free behaviour both during and
outside of class; writing a DARE report and pledging to make wise
decisions about alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

These students attend a DARE graduation ceremony, and join millions
of other DARE students who have chosen to be drug-free.

A secondary part of the DARE program involves raising money to ensure
that future Grade 6 students have the opportunity to learn and
participate in the program. Funds raised contribute to covering the
costs of the program. Some of the costs include DARE booklets,
videos, and officers' salaries.

The DARE program also has other worthwhile fundraisers in the
community. Presently there is a Kicks for Kids campaign. This
involves Oakville's own Mike Vanderjagt of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys
who is supporting DARE. Vanderjagt has generously pledged $100 for
every successful field goal he makes this year.

Here at St. Joan of Arc, a walk-a-thon to raise funds was chosen
because walking is active and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

Being involved in extracurricular activities is one way DARE suggests
students avoid drugs.

Not only did the Grade 6 students at St. Joan of Arc get involved in
the walk-a-thon costume parade, but the entire school got involved
and showed their support by raising money, dressing up and walking too.

It was an absolute delight for the neighbourhood of the St. Joan of
Arc community to see this parade on Halloween. This was an excellent
way to combine the fun of Halloween with a most worthwhile cause.

Miss Parisi's and Mr. Culhane's Grade 6 classes would like to give a
special shout out to Const. Brenda Fraser, their DARE officer, and to
all the staff, students and families of the St. Joan of Arc community
who made the Halloween Walk-a-thon Parade of Costumes a spooktacular success.