LAKE COUNTRY KIDS DARE TO BE DRUG AND VIOLENCE FREE

"I know I would like to be drug and violence free because I want to be
healthy and have a successful life."

This pledge was one of many made by the grade five students of
Davidson Road Elementary School last week after their completion of
the successful D.A.R.E. program.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education, a program put on by the RCMP, has
been part of the Davidson Road Elementary curriculum for five years.
Facilitators of D.A.R.E. B.C. believe that soon this program will be
offered to kids in grade five or six in every elementary school in the
province.

For the 52 grade five students who recently completed the program at
Davidson Road Elementary School, the 10-week program was worth every
minute.

Their were smiles on every face last Tuesday night as 52 students
received their D.A.R.E. graduation certificates.

The program at Davidson School was led by Constable Marie-Claude Keber
of the Lake Country Detachment. Under her direction, students learned
not only the importance of staying away from drugs, but how to make
informed decisions and how to communicate those decisions to others.

The D.A.R.E. program also helps kids combat violence through
participative discussion about bullying, violence, and
self-esteem.

The graduation ceremonies Tuesday night, hosted by Constable Keber,
opened with essay presentations by five students recognized for their
outstanding D.A.R.E. pledge essays. Clare Murphy, Brent Lashuk, Dallis
Senger, Sarah Maryschuk, and Mitchell Deschutter dictated their essays
with gusto to a gym-filled audience of parents, peers, teachers, and
members of the RCMP.

After these presentations, a few groups of students entertained with
their own skits. The meticulously prepared and practiced skits
produced rounds of laughter and cheer as students acted out scenarios
involving peer pressure and resisting drugs. Eight options of how to
say 'no thanks' to drugs were offered in the final skit, which was put
on by a cast of five girls.

At the end of the evening, each of the 52 grade five students from
three grade five classes walked up a long red carpet to accept their
D.A.R.E. certificates. The procession of D.A.R.E. graduates accepted
their certificates from a line of D.A.R.E. supporters, including
Davidson Road Principal, Mr. Murray MacKenzie; Lake Country Sergeant
Dwaine Wetteland; special guest Ken Forbes from the Kelowna RCMP
detachment; and of course Constable Marie-Claude Keber, the emcee of
the evening and facilitator of the program.

At the completion of the ceremonies, there was enough cake and goodies
for all to ensure each kid came home with a sugar headache.

But for the teachers, parents, and members of the R.C.M.P., it was all
worth it to know that vital information and wisdom had been passed
down to our kids of tomorrow.

The not-for-profit D.A.R.E. program would not be possible without
volunteers from the R.C.M.P., teachers, and members of the community,
along with the long list of support from local businesses and
community organizations.