OFFICER DARES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Miami-Dade police officer Michael Wordly, recently named Florida DARE
Officer of the Year, teaches fifth-graders to say 'no' to drugs and gangs.

There is a good reason why Miami-Dade Police's DARE officer Michael
Wordly's former fifth-grade students return to thank him.

"Most of [my students] are bigger than me now, and they still
remember some of the issues discussed in the DARE program ," said
Wordly, 39, who was recently named the Florida DARE Officer of the
Year for his work for DARE -- the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

DARE is a 23-year-old program that pairs police officers with
fifth-graders for lessons about drug abuse, self-esteem and
decision-making. The time is short -- just one hour per week for nine
weeks -- but Wordly said the impact is great.

This is his 13th year as an officer, and seventh year with DARE.
Though Wordly was never a participant as a student, he's been aware
of the program since its start in 1983. His main goal is to keep kids
out of trouble, mainly from selling or using illegal drugs and joining gangs.

Wordly was selected from four nominees throughout Florida, based on
his interaction with children, success in teaching and overall
enthusiasm on the job. He has worked with children from several
schools, including Kenwood K-8, South Miami Heights, Edward Whigham
and Bel-aire elementaries.

"Mike also submitted letters of recommendation, not only from his
command staff, but also from the students he taught in class," said
Kevin A. Sapp, president of the Florida DARE Association. "It showed
the first-hand impact on the kids in deciding to remain drug- and
alcohol-free."

His supervisor recommended him for the award, and his students and
their teachers sent letters to the DARE Officer's Association. Then,
a committee researched his work and confirmed the recommendation,
ultimately giving the award to the individual they thought was best
at teaching the curriculum.

Despite having students with a wide range of ethnic, racial and
economic backgrounds, Wordly's technique is consistent: inspiring his
students' confidence and pride.

"They love it," he said. "You inform them about these issues and, in
the long run, they thank you."

Wordly's enthusiasm is not limited to his schools; he is also a
mentor to aspiring DARE officers, who meet annually at a two-week
training course in Orlando.

"We have officers coming from all over the country to become DARE
officers," Wordly said.

Each mentor is assigned five to seven police officers, showing them
not only how to deal with children, but also how to teach drug
resistance in an age-appropriate manner. To prevent future tobacco
use, for example, his students act out skits where they're offered a
cigarette and say "no" in a way discussed in class.

"The more challenging part is teaching the curriculum in a way that
kids can grasp it and apply it to their every day life," Wordly said.

Wordly also plays the DARE Jeopardy game with his students after
every two-week lesson. The students meet in teams to discuss their
answer before called on. With such tools, Wordly is convinced his
students get the message.

He then relays these techniques to his DARE officers-in-training. As
a final exam, the officers are required to teach a one-hour course to
a local fifth-grade class while their mentor observes.

Wordly also educates his classes on peer pressure, gangs,
self-respect, attitude and how to make decisions under pressure. The
DARE decision-making model is based on the group's name: The D
represents defining the problem, while A is assessing all the choices
you can make. The R is responding after considering the choices, and
E is evaluating your final decision.

Despite the positive responses from his students, Wordly admits there
are challenges to his job.

"Most of the time, the hardest part is letting the kids know that I'm
here to teach them," Wordly said. "I think that once we, as DARE
officers, break that barrier, the process of learning occurs."

Each nine-week program concludes with a mini graduation, as the
students receive a certificate of completion, T-shirt and medal.

"The most rewarding part of my job is teaching kids alternatives,"
Wordly said. "That there's more to life than just this."