MORE DARE STUDENTS GRADUATE

Could Hobbema Be the DARE Capital of Canada?

One might think so after attending the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education graduation at Samson middle school and Ermineskin primary
school.

"How deadly is chewing tobacco?" asked one student in the Samson
audience to Mountie instructor Const. Richard Huculiak.

"Does anyone watch baseball?" he fired back.

"Tobacco is in their lymphs, saliva and blood vessels. Tobacco
chewers get mouth cancer very, very quickly. So chew gum instead."

As the audience prepared to hear personal commitments, Huculiak said
the seven-member group, "was the smallest DARE class he ever taught
in five years."

Tyler Soosay began, "I'll be able to focus on my studies. I don't
want to harm my body. I want to be strong and fit. I want to join the
army ... to help my family."

One kid was so excited he even jumped over the bench he was sitting
on after reading.

"I was offered cigarettes before. I know someone who is a drug
dealer," Lane Buffalo said in a very personalized essay.

"But if a drug dealer offers me free samples, I will say 'no thanks.'
"

Mother Elaine Saddleback couldn't have been more proud of her
son.

"He always sings different songs when he comes home. There's a father
figure for him when his father is at work," she said.

After teacher Tina Saddleback stood by encouragingly as her young
charges spoke, she was amazed by her students' success.

"(As members of the special needs academic program) for them to sit
through the ceremony was an accomplishment.

"Three years ago, these students couldn't read, and now they
can."

The other Samson DARE grads were Skiler Foureyes, Jade Green, Jareth
Saddleback, Octtavio Saddleback and Nick Thom.

Ermineskin primary school had a different take on the DARE ceremony.
While some students were reluctant to smile, Huculiak encouraged them
by saying, "Now we're both in Hollywood," while posing for the cameras.

The event soon had the energy of a live talk show with almost 60
grads fielding questions from their parents.

What would they do if they saw kids in a corner smoking?

Tell an adult, the principal or a teacher, were their varied answers,
evidence the Mountie's message -- saying 'no' to drugs -- worked.

What would they do if at a birthday party kids were doing
drugs?

"Call the cops," was one student's facetious reply, to the audience's
delight.

"Wow, they go right to the top," Huculiak enthused.

He shared some statistics: only seven per cent of Grade 7s admitted
smoking out of 100 kids and that 20 per cent admitted to drinking.

One parent, Carolyn Mackinaw, was thrilled with her daughter, Summer,
graduating the program.

"It's wonderful. She talks about the program all the time."

The other grads were Levi Minde, Devon Morin, Stacey Bull, Christine
Cardinal, Delaney Eagle, Kirsten Littlechild, Donovan Mackinaw,
Shannon Mackinaw, Tanner Morin, Violet Omeasoo, Jason Rattlesnake,
Kylie Roasting, Denika Saddleback, Kaitlyn Saddleback, Shav
Saddleback, Kody Shortneck, Willene Simon, Flora Smallboy, Dylan
Soosay, Naomi Soosay, Zachariah Whitebear, Alycia Willier, Airelle
Buffalo, Brittany Ermineskin, Alyssa Littlechild, Zachary Mackinaw,
Roenick Minde, Summer Moonias, Simone Roan, Kassidy Saskatchewan,
Keithon Simon, Morningstar Smallboy, Lacey Soosay, Alexandria Wolfe,
Celine Yellowbird, Alex Beaverbones, Leroy Bufallo, Shaleen Buffalo,
Lenaya Crane, Clarissa Eagle, Jerrette Greene, Jasmine Littlechild,
Tanita Littlechild, Alex Mackinaw-Minde, Kristen Montour, Tyra Morin,
Davina Potts, Michael Roasting, Nolan Samson, Keevin Shortneck,
Trisha Simon and Blake Stamp.