STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM DARE PROGRAM

They may have been a small class, but fifth-graders from Saint Paul
Lutheran School appeared to make up for it in enthusiasm as they celebrated
their culmination in the DARE program.

County commissioner Don Navinsky, a guest at Friday's ceremony, noted after
the culmination that the Saint Paul students were the liveliest group he's
ever seen during the years he's attended such events for the Drug Abuse
Resistance Education program.

The students offered loud cheers throughout the ceremony for each other,
their teacher and others.

Seventh- and eighth-graders first contributed to the air of enthusiasm as
they cheered loudly as the fifth-graders entered the gym for the culmination.

"I don't think I've ever had a group come in like that," said Mark
Lingenfelser, Leavenworth police officer and DARE instructor.

Lingenfelser said the older students attended the ceremony because he had
worked with them the same time he was paying visits to the fifth-graders.

Friday's culmination came after Lingenfelser made about a dozen weekly
visits to the fifth-grade class.

He provides DARE instruction to a number of elementary schools in the city
and similar culmination programs are held throughout the school year.

As with most culmination ceremonies, Friday's program included a guest
speaker, County Attorney Frank Kohl.

Kohl encouraged the students to think about two simple rules. First, always
treat others as you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes.

Second, before doing something, question whether you would do it if your
parents, grandparents, teacher or principal were standing next to you.

"If the answer is 'no' or you're not sure, forget it," Kohl said.

As part of the DARE program, fifth-graders are asked to write an essay.
Lingenfelser had selected five essays to be read by their authors at Saint
Paul Lutheran School.

Essays were read by James Bates, Allison Bergman, Michael Denney, Emma
Forgey and Joshua Stephens.

The other fifth-graders recognized in the culmination were Azelyn Klein,
Jeremy McLeod and Bianca Simmons.

Students were presented with certificates as well as DARE-related trinkets.