ELEMENTARY YOUTHS SUPPORT DARE PROGRAM

Editor's note: The Journal-News received a number of letters from the
Madison Elementary School class of Sally Klaber regarding the drug
awareness program, DARE, offered by the Hamilton Police Department. Here is
a representative sampling of those letters:

I heard that the city of Hamilton might shut down DARE. I learned a lot,
and it was fun at the same time. Officer Christian taught us knowledge
about not doing drugs.

DARE is important because you don't want us to grow up to be "druggies," do
you? DARE teaches you not to do drugs or drink alcohol. Drugs are bad.
Don't do drugs. That's the way to be drug free.

Drugs will mess up your entire life. How? Because they can kill you. If you
follow the DARE rules, you won't grow up to do bad things, like drinking
alcohol or smoking.

DARE teaches you not to do violence. Wherever drugs are, violence is also.
If you have children, and you are doing drugs in front of them, that will
make them think it is OK -- but it is not.

There are bad consequences, which is something that happens when you choose
to do something wrong. I choose not to do drugs. I think it is the right
thing. Drugs are bad. Keep the DARE program, please.

Megan Bussell

Hamilton

The city of Hamilton is thinking of dropping the DARE program so they can
save money. I think it's not fair for DARE to be dropped. I think DARE is a
really good program for kids.

Officer Christian taught us not to do any kinds of drugs like cigarettes or
alcohol because they can hurt or kill you.

I think DARE should not be dropped because any kind of drugs can kill you,
and kids need to know what drugs can do to you. Drugs also damage your
body. Kids also need to know what drugs look like so if someone asks you,
"Do you want to do drugs,'' you can say "No."

I also think DARE is important because you can go to jail if you do drugs.
Also, if you do drugs when you grow up, your kids could be taken from you
until you stop doing drugs. Then your kids could get put in foster homes.

I also think DARE is important because the DARE officer teaches you that
marijuana makes you have a poor memory. Then you can't think well. Alcohol
can make you drunk. Your personality changes.

DARE teaches you ways to say no to drugs, like no thanks, walking away, or
changing the subject. They should help you stay drug and violence free.

Please try to save the DARE program. It is very important.

Summer Dunn

Hamilton