DO THEY DARE?

Students At Kaiser Elementary Graduate From Anti-Drug Program With Newfound
Knowledge.

COSTA MESA - In place of the traditional cap and gown, fifth-grade students
at Kaiser Elementary School wore white T-shirts with the DARE slogan across
the front at a graduation ceremony Monday morning.

After training an hour a week for 17 weeks with Costa Mesa Police Officer
Glen Langsford, children graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
program.

"They teach you about what drugs do to you," said Kyle Gladding, 10.

Students were eager to share their newfound knowledge of just what the
consequences could be.

"You can die, you can get sick -- there's a million things," said Alex
Trixton, 10.

But there's more to the class than just drug education, Langsford said.

The course covers self-esteem, counseling, stress, drugs, drug abuse, eight
ways to say no, youth gangs, intimidation, four types of peer pressure and
teamwork, he said.

Students were asked to write an essay about the program and what they
learned from it.

The students who wrote the three top essays in each class were honored at
the ceremony.

First-place winners were asked to read their essays aloud.

"I think I should stay drug-free because all the reasons for taking drugs
are lame," read Gen Christensan, 10, from his essay.

Each student received a certificate of completion, a sticker and, as we saw
in a sneak preview when they rolled across the stage, a neon DARE pencil.

But teachers and parents hope the students took away more than just the
tangible evidence of the class.

"I'd rather be unpopular than smoke," said Sloan Robinson, 10.