LOCAL TEACHER HONORED BY D.A.R.E. PROGRAM

OAKWOOD - An Oakwood Grade School sixth-grade teacher picked up an
award this summer after being named the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education -- D.A.R.E. -- Teacher of the Year Award for 2011.

Sgt. Dan Auterman of the Vermilion County Sheriff's Department
nominated Patti Wise due to her dedication and commitment to the program.

Wise traveled to Matteson on June 17 to a police conference to
receive the award, and gave an acceptance speech to the audience
filled with other educators, Illinois D.A.R.E. officers and Illinois
juvenile officers.

Auterman has been with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education --
D.A.R.E. -- program since 1991. Every school district outside of
District 118, which cut the program when the economy took a downturn,
is served by the program.

D.A.R.E. is presented to either fifth-or sixth-grade students based
on decisions made by school personnel. The idea is to make sure all
students have had drug resistance education before reaching middle school.

"The D.A.R.E. program has been in existence since 1983, and began as
a joint effort between the Los Angeles Unified School District and
the Los Angeles Police Department," Auterman said.

According to the D.A.R.E. website, the police officer-led program is
now in 75 percent of schools in the United States, and is in 43
percent of countries around the world in order to teach children "how
to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives."

Auterman said the state backed out of funding the program years ago,
so it exists only because it is self-supported by schools. Schools
receive some money from the state that has to be used for
drug-education, so a portion of that can be used, and then the rest
of the money is obtained through fundraising.

"We have a walk-a-thon, dances, car shows and a golf outing," Auterman said.

As far as effectiveness, Auterman said, "I have no statistics, but I
have taught the children of previous D.A.R.E. students and I have
noticed it makes it easier for them to approach me and ask questions
or ask for help. It is not 100 percent effective, but I have only
arrested a few former D.A.R.E. students, and that is the exception
and not the rule. We have had around 1,000 kids graduate from
D.A.R.E. each year, so 20,000 kids have gone through our program."

Brandon Rowe was in the program last year as a sixth-grader at
Oakwood Grade School.

"My favorite part of D.A.R.E. was the tour of the public safety
building because it gave me the opportunity to learn things about
what happens when you get caught doing drugs and see a place I
wouldn't normally see," he said. "I also felt the way Sgt. Auterman
told us things it will stick with me for the rest of my life."

Students are encouraged to ask questions during the classes Auterman
and Vermilion County Sheriff's Deputy Jay Miller teach.

Wise is excited about the program.

"The D.A.R.E. officers have brought in samples of healthy lungs
versus unhealthy lungs so the kids can see what tar and nicotine do,"
Wise said. "The canine unit has been at school, and the kids have
taken a look inside a police car, the public safety building, the 911
call center, and even the booking area. The kids take part in role
play and learn how to say no to drugs assertively. They write an
essay on what the program has meant to them, and there is a
graduation from the program complete with cake and punch."

Auterman recalled that Wise had been a D.A.R.E. teacher for 14 years,
and had "helped to set up every graduation and has worked with the
PTO of the school to ensure that every class has had a graduation
party with decorations and cakes herself so that no child went without."

Wise credits the D.A.R.E. program with "opening kids' minds to the
dangers out there, and hopefully it keeps them from crossing that road."

Wise adds she is part of the D.A.R.E. team at Oakwood Grade School,
which includes Wesley Miller, Nicole Johnson and Summer Farris as
well as room parents who help arrange the room for the graduation ceremony.

"D.A.R.E. is a good program, and if people want to donate they can
send their contributions to the regional superintendent of schools,
with a note that it is to be used for D.A.R.E.," Auterman said.