PROGRAM EDUCATES STUDENTS ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, commonly known in schools
as DARE, plays an important role in providing children with the life
skills they need to avoid involvement with drugs, gangs, and violence.

DARE is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches
children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer
pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

In Vauxhall, the DARE program is delivered to Grade 6 students and has
run for the better part of the last four years, says RCMP Sergeant
Dave Ness.

"The idea behind DARE is to give the children the tools to make smart
life choices ... You would teach them various ways to say no, how to
be assertive," so they're answer is neither weak nor overbearing.

The 10-lesson program begins with students learning the scope of the
information they'll cover and the importance of having respect for
both themselves and for others. They move on to lessons on the
specific health effects of drugs and alcohol, along with how
advertising influences behaviour, the influence of peers, and other
related topics with participation in the classroom positively
reinforced along the way to ensure students get the message.

Ness says students will be asked how many Grade 8 students they think
use tobacco and alcohol. Invariably the responses will be higher than
the actual number, so Ness tells them they should be aware of
misperceptions and not be influenced by those who say 'everyone's doing it.'

"My hope (with DARE) is it is an effective program. The importance
lies in the fact that the students are presented with information to
make healthy choices for their lives."

As well, says Ness, the positive interaction the students have with
the police, through delivery of DARE, helps them learn the police are
approachable.

Dale Cummings, principal of Vauxhall Elementary School, says the DARE
program has an important role.

"For our students, heading into junior high, it gives them a pretty
important message about using drugs and alcohol, and teaches them many
ways to say 'no'."

Cummings adds because the program is taught by the RCMP, it gives the
kids a positive connection with police.

"They learn the police are their friends and not their enemy."

Although information about substance abuse affecting physical well
being is also taught by teachers as part of the Alberta Education
health curriculum, it's delivery of this information by a police
officer that makes a big difference, says Cummins.

Unfortunately, the program itself relies on officers being willing to
take specialized training to learn the program then deliver it in the
classroom, and much of that time flows into the officers' days off. As
a result, the DARE program is currently not running and does not run
every school year. Nonetheless, Cummings is grateful for the RCMP
having delivered the program in the past.

"It has been very good for our school. We've appreciated the efforts
with the RCMP. Hopefully we can get it back next year."