DARE EXTENDS ITS REACH WITH NEW PROGRAM

Their mandate is still "drug abuse resistance education," but the DARE
program is moving beyond a single classroom program for Grade 5 students.

Last week haahuupayak Elementary held a graduation ceremony for 19
students who successfully completed the 10-week program. In welcoming
the families, Tseshaht Chief Councillor Les Sam, who built the school,
said his nation takes pride in supporting the DARE program.

"I can say we have a very good working relationship with the RCMP," he
said. "Congratulations to you all, and especially to your parents,
because they're the ones who get you up in the morning to get to school."

Cpl. Andrew Burton served as DARE instructor, in partnership with
haahuupayak instructor John Cloke. Burton told parents that the
program has expanded to address issues such as bullying and peer
pressure, in the context of teaching children to make healthy choice
to live drug and alcohol free.

"At some point, in the not too distant future, you will have to make
choices about drugs and alcohol," Burton told the graduates.

Haahuupayak principal Tricia McAuley called on her students to draw
from their cultural heritage to avoid the temptations of substance
abuse.

"Remember who you are. You are Nuu-chah-nulth. You don't need that
stuff to be good people - you are good people," McAuley said.

Cpl. Dave Cusson has been a DARE instructor since 2002, and now serves
as Drugs and Organize Crime Awareness co-ordinator, as part of the
RCMP Community Prevention Education Continuum.

"The RCMP now has a full K-12 program," Cusson said. "It's all about
police and the community coming together to bring drug education to
our kids, and DARE is the foundation."

Cusson said this fall will see the introduction of the DARE 7
program.

"It's a 10-week program for Grade 7s," Cusson said. "We're giving them
new skills to prevent them from using substances."

Burton said about 25,000 students receive DARE training each year in
the province. DARE is being taught in 84 communities and in 90% of
B.C. school districts.