DARE TO BE RECOGNIZED BY EIPS

Royal Canadian Mounted Police liaison officers and DARE (Drug Abuse
Resistance Education) instructors will be recognized by the Elk Island
Public School Board.

EIPS trustees approved the importance of the partnership between the school
district and the RCMP last week. "The officers have tremendous influence at
the schools and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for
their hard work in educating students about drug abuse and real-world
challenges," says Kim Stubbs, EIPS board chair. "We believe the officers
are a valuable resource for our students and their presence in the schools
is an excellent way of involving the community in the education system."

Participating officers have been invited to attend a board meeting at which
time trustees will present them with special certificates and the
superintendent will host a luncheon in their honour. As acknowledgment of
the RCMP's excellent work, Superintendent Terry Gunderson has offered to
pay the $150 registration fee for any EIPS liaison or DARE officer who
wishes to attend the provincial Safe and Caring Schools conference in
Edmonton next month.

EIPS currently has 26 student liaison officers and runs the DARE program in
20 of the 44 schools in the division.

EIPS is also the first division in Canada to see DARE incorporated at the
senior high level as part of the Career and Life Management curriculum at
the 10 and 20 levels.

All schools have officers designated as the primary contact with the local
RCMP detachment who act as a resource to the school.