ST. MICHAEL'S D.A.R.E. GRADUATION

Pincher Creek Echo -- On Wednesday, April 27, St. Michael's Grade 6 French
and English class, along with the Grade 5 French immersion class graduated
from the D.A.R.E. program. D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug and Alcohol
Resistance Education, is a program designed to teach students life skills
that will help them avoid drugs, alcohol, and violence, and deal with peer
pressure. They learn avoidance techniques, role-play, and talk about the
effects of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Const. Trevor Baldwin taught the
program which consists of 10 lessons over a 15-week period.

Baldwin, who spoke at the graduation ceremony, said that while students
certainly become aware of the dangers of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes,
"they learn a lot more than that. [The D.A.R.E. program] teaches them how
to be confident [and] it teaches them how to be assertive." Baldwin also
said the program was effective in creating a comfortable rapport between
students and the RCMP.

Jordan Conrad is a student who participated in the program, and co-hosted
the graduation. He told those students and parents in attendance that he
and his classmates learned about "peer pressure," and "how to say no." He
said the lessons learned were "a life skill that helps us make healthy
choices."

Students were required to write a report on what they and learned, and some
of them were read aloud by their authors. A few essays related tragedies
that had affected the author's life and family because of drugs, cigarettes
or alcohol. Students also made personal pledges about abstaining from
drugs, and when they are older, using alcohol responsibly.

Students performed skits, illustrating the skills they had learned for
dealing with peer pressure and other potentially difficult situations. The
ceremony culminated with the students receiving their D.A.R.E. graduation
certificates, and a T-shirt.

Baldwin handed out the certificates, and shook each student's hand in
congratulation.