DARE celebrates fifth graduation exercise

Forty-eight Grade 6 Fort Elementary students celebrated the completion
of the 17-lesson Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) last Tuesday,
marking the fifth DARE graduation at the school where the program was
first launched locally in 1996.

During the evening, the Richard Penhale awards were presented to
Hollie Ward and Tasha Yakoweshen - two students who best reflected the
spirit of DARE throughout the program. As well, Chelsea Johnson,
Heather Stacey, Kim Stinson and Tasha Yakoweshen received DARE medals
for their award-winning essays.

Students also performed anti-drug skits penned by themselves.

Steve Milligan of Dow Canada presented a cheque to DARE instructor
Const. Lea Turner for $20,000 to fund the DARE program in Fort
Saskatchewan schools for the next 3 years.

An earlier DARE graduation was held May 18 at James Mowat School where
41 Grade 6 students received their certificates for the successful
completion of the course. Essay winners included Brandon Bacchus,
Mandie Benesocky, Amanda Bystrowski and Mitchell Wise while Britt
Cardinal and Lance McElria took home the Richard Penhale award.