DARE STILL MAKING A DIFFERENCE

There aren't official numbers showing the affect Drug Abuse Resistance
Education has had locally, but there's no doubt in leader Harry
Lawrenson's mind that it is making an impact.

"What I can say is prior to DARE and those DARE students getting into
high school, vandalism and truancy was pretty rampant. Once those kids
got into high school there was a tremendous drop," he said. "I suspect
it's because they had some education."

DARE is in its 12th year in the area. Each year about 1,000 Grade 6
students at the 18 schools in the Nottawasaga OPP detachment area
receive the nine, one-hour DARE lessons.

The DARE name is a little deceiving. Lawrenson said the course covers
more than drugs and alcohol. Self-esteem, self confidence, bullying
and peer pressure are also talked about in the program.

Lawrenson said one of the most important lessons is on bullying
because it's always changing.

Bullying is beyond the days of having a tough kid ruling the
schoolyard.

"Now it's not like that, bullying can be taking place by being
exclusive," said Lawrenson.

DARE started 25 years ago in the United States, but Lawrenson said
that doesn't mean the programming is outdated.

He said the bonus of the program is it's constantly being upgraded to
stay in tune with new drug and social trends.

And students in the Nottawasga OPP area are being taught by a
top-notch teacher. Lawrenson not only leads the local programming, he
teaches DARE to potential police officers from Ontario and Atlantic
Canada. Training other officers gives him a greater knowledge to teach
the Grade 6 students locally, he said.

Local business support has also helped keep Lawrenson teaching
DARE.

Providing the program costs about $12 per child. That includes a
workbook, T-shirt and certificate when they graduate.

Locally, Alliston-based Gibson Transport has been the exclusive donor
to the program for the past eight years.