VERIZON AMPITHEATER SCENE OF D.A.R.E. EXTRAVAGANZA

As many as 5,000 screaming elementary school children will flock to Verizon
Wireless Amphitheater next week to celebrate their commitments to resisting
drugs and violence.

The students, mostly metro area fifth- and sixth-graders, will participate
in the annual Metro D.A.R.E. Fest beginning at 10 a.m. May 12. There, a
host of entertainers, celebrities and government leaders will congratulate
the students on their recent D.A.R.E. graduations and echo the program's
core message of resisting drugs and violence. D.A.R.E., a program used by
schools across the country, stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

Pat Budy, a Bonner Springs Police Department D.A.R.E. officer and the
festival's chairperson, said students each year look forward to the event
as both a celebration and a reward.

"D.A.R.E. graduation is a requirement to come," Budy said. "So this is a
little extra incentive for them because they know they will have a great
time. There will be 3,000 to 4,000 screaming kids having a blast."

This year's celebration will mark the seventh occurrence of what organizers
say is the largest and longest running D.A.R.E. festival in the county.
Once again, Retro Bill, a national television and radio personality and the
official D.A.R.E. safety buddy, will serve as the event's emcee. Sizzle,
the Kansas City T-Bones mascot, Ad-Lib-N, a band composed of a Kansas City,
Kan., police officer and Edwardsville Elementary School music teacher Libby
Whittle, and Tonganoxie High School student Joey Glenn, a country music
artist, will help entertain the students.

Kansas Atty. Gen. Phil Kline and Bonner Springs Mayor Clausie Smith are
also expected to speak at the event.

The annual event requires months of planning and is funded exclusively
through donations, Budy said. As the festival's chairperson and a D.A.R.E.
officer, Budy said he is able to see the children, the program and festival
make a positive impact on each other.

Though D.A.R.E.'s message centers largely on resisting drugs, violence and
negative peer pressure, the overall effect has numerous additional
benefits, Budy said.

"Saying no to drugs and alcohol is what everyone pictures," Budy said. "But
one of the big things with D.A.R.E. is the self-esteem issue. That is
something we talk to them at graduation about. When they walk into middle
school next year, they should walk in with their head held high."