MIRAMAR 5TH-GRADERS TO GET LESSON FROM POLICE ON KEEPING THE RIGHT PATH

Fifth-graders in Miramar's 10 public and three private schools are the
inaugural class of the Police Department's new initiative to keep
youngsters on the right path.

Students in Miramar had been involved with the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education program for more than a dozen years, said Capt. Jim Lind,
who supervises the department's professional standards and youth
services divisions.

"We thought DARE was a bit antiquated and too restrictive," he said.
"You may have a bullying problem in one school and a gang problem in
another. The DARE program has the same curriculum for each school, so
we couldn't modify it to a school's needs."

Miramar Police Officer Marc Greenstein worked with the Broward
Sheriff's Office to develop the SOAR program, Students Obtaining
Achievement and Responsibility. SOAR involves drug resistance
education but also discusses such issues as bullying, gangs and truancy.

SOAR has 10 core lessons, including character traits, goal setting,
peer pressure and bicycle safety.

The department, using its school resource officers, implemented the
program this school year. Some fifth-graders have already gone through
the 10-week program, while others are currently going through it.

"We met with all the principals beforehand and made sure everyone was
on board," said Greenstein, a school resource officer.

Lind said the department is looking into developing a similar program
for middle and high schools.

"We'd like to see the kids through all the way to graduation," he
said.

Maggie Ruiz, principal at St. Stephen Catholic School, said she's
impressed with the program.

"I also got to see it from a parent's perspective because my son is in
fifth grade," she said. "We've been very happy. My son has been very
motivated by the experience."