D.A.R.E. GRAUDATES ABOUT 300 6TH GRADERS

About 300 sixth grade students gathered at the Picayune School
District Auditorium Thursday morning to celebrate their completion of
the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program.

Officials with the Picayune Police Department and the Picayune School
District, along with teachers and parents, attended the graduation
ceremonies, the second consecutive year it has been held.

Students wearing red shirts with the D.A.R.E. emblem written across
the front marched across the stage to receive their certificates and
shake hands with law enforcement and school officials.

The total number of students who have graduated from the nine-week
course has now reached about 600, and another program is being planned
for this fall.

The program is taught to students by instructors who first must become
certified by attending an intensive two-week course, where officers
are graded on lesson plans they develop and teach to other classmates.
Cpl. Johhnie Mae Roberts and Bryan Dawsey are the certified D.A.R.E.
program instructors for the department.

"I enjoyed it because I know the material I was covering would help
young people to resist peer pressure and drugs," Roberts said.

Following the ceremony, students went to the Picayune Junior High
School gym, where they were treated to food and refreshments.

Commander of School Resources Caesar Jones said D.A.R.E. message has a
ripple effect as students tell others about the dangers of drugs and
alcohol.

"That message is getting sent home," he said. "They're going to tell
their friends who might not have gone through D.A.R.E."

Jones said the department and district are looking to expand the
program to other grade levels in the future.