GRAD SEASON EARLY FOR D.A.R.E. KIDS

Programs may mature, and even hit old age, but for those who
successfully take part in them the experience is always fresh and exciting.

Take the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) curriculum, for
example.

The process held each year at area elementary schools has been running
since it was instigated in Los Angeles back in 1983. But the message
is a timeless one for each year's crop of grads - specifically, steer
clear of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs no matter what the other kids may
be doing, no matter what their friends may say.

Sixty-seven Poirier students have graduated from the D.A.R.E. program
this year and the exercise will be repeated elsewhere. What all
schools have in common is the confident, high self-esteem possessed by
the D.A.R.E. students. They've had time to relate incidents from their
own lives, and hear from others what it's like to know, or even live
with people burdened by the abuse of drugs or drink. They've seen how
a made-up mind can insulate a young person from the pressure to follow
a crowd, and do what, in their heart, they know is wrong.

Driving home the point that it's okay to go your own way, Poirier
principal Mr. Arts wore a nice shirt and tie, backwards, for the
occasion. The possibility of being shunned by those making a big
mistake, wouldn't seem like such a sacrifice, after all.

RCMP corporal Barb Cottingham took to the piano to back up the singing
of the national anthem. Congratulations were extended to the kids by
Mayor Janet Evans and Corporal Garth Cunningham, D.A.R.E. supervisor
for the south-Island.

Five students shared essays they had written; the group did a
performance and all 67 of the young achievers were presented their
keepsake diplomas before the morning event was concluded.

Included here is some interesting material that was made available to those
taking in the March 5 ceremony at Ecole Poirier:

Twenty ways to encourage your children to use drugs

1. Never eat together as a family.

2. Never have family outings which your children can look forward
to.

3. Talk to your children, not with them, never listen.

4. Punish your children in public. Never praise them or reinforce
positive behaviour.

5. Always solve their problems and make decisions for
them.

6. Over-schedule your children.

7. Never let them experience cold, fatigue, adventure, injury,
challenge, failure, frustration or discouragement.

8. Threaten your children.

9. Always pick up after them.

10. Expect straight "A" school marks from them.

11. Discourage them from talking about their feelings.

12. Never discuss your feelings with them.

13. Make your child feel their mistakes are sins.

14. Spoil your child.

15. Tell your child "Because I told you so," when they ask
"why?"

16. Keep your home atmosphere in a state of chaos.

17. Keep them stressed, don't give them any down time.

18. Never display affection in front of them.

19. Be overprotective. Don't teach the meaning of the word
consequence.

20. Lead by negative example.