DARE GRADS LEARNED FACTS ABOUT DRUGS

It's an event which many will remember for the rest of their lives and the
information they learned might even save them grief later on in life.

One hundred and thirty-five Grade 6 students from Pine Grove Middle School
graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program in an
afternoon ceremony last Wednesday at the Edson Royal Canadian Legion.

The ceremony not only gave the students time to reflect, but the guest
speakers and members of the audience as well.

West Yellowhead MLA Ivan Strang wished he could have applied some aspects
of the DARE philosophy to his life.

"I grew up in the North West Territories - basically our national pastime
was drinking."

But, said Strang, he was the responsible one in his group of peers.

"I didn't want to get sick, so I took care of my friends."

He stressed to the students that healthy lifestyles are important and what
you do in your youth can catch up to you later.

"You think you're invincible but you're not -- it does catch up to you,"
said Strang.

Edson town councillor and deputy mayor Mal Goldie said there were pressures
to take DARE authority away from the RCMP and have teachers teach the
course, but it was voted down by municipal leaders at the recent Federation
of Canadian Municipalities meeting in Edmonton.

"I was vehemently opposed to that," said Goldie.

Grande Yellowhead Regional Division superintendent Dean Lindquist said,
partnerships in education are very important and the DARE program is a
perfect example.

The local program is sponsored by the Legion and Dairy Queen, along with a
host of other corporate and community-minded sponsors. "What the DARE
program is all about is making good choices," said Lindquist.

Pine Grove principal Cory Gray said he was extremely pleased with the time
and effort the students put into the program and equally impressed with the
instructors, Consts. Jason Young and Attila Toldy.

Staff Sgt. and Edson detachment commander Ian Lande hoped the students
would continue to draw on the lessons learned through the DARE program for
the rest of their lives.

Students Demetres Giannitsos and Amanda Jakubow differed on their opinions
regarding what they viewed as their favourite part of the course.

"The grad and the cake," said Giannitsos.

"Getting to see the drug kit," said Jakubow.

Seeing how much drugs can affect lives was the biggest surprise for Giannitsos.

"It (DARE) tells you reasons why you shouldn't do drugs and to stay away
from them and how they affect you."