D.A.R.E. PROGRAM, A VALUABLE ASSET FOR REGION

I once again had the privilege last week of attending the McLennan
RCMP's DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program graduation, and
let me state for the record that what I witnessed was impressive.

The program is part of a cooperative effort between RCMP, parents,
students and educational institutions and focuses on raising
self-esteem levels among Grade 6 students by promoting awareness
surrounding violence and the dangers of drug and alcohol use.

My tour of duty took me to a pair of schools in Falher -- Ecole
Heritage and Ecole Routhier -- for the official culmination of the
10-week program with 56 students receiving a certificate of
achievement as well as a DARE T-shirt from Const. M.C. Verreault (DARE
officer) in recognition of their accomplishments dating back to last
November.

Parents unfamiliar with the DARE concept need only to reflect upon the
success of this extremely worthwhile program over the past eight years
to get a true sense of its overall value to students and communities
in the Smoky River region.

DARE acts as a student safety net and a second line of defence to
complement the existing arsenal of verbal advice from parents and
teachers, who continue to educate our children about the associated
dangers of drug and alcohol use.

The program is offered at a pivotal time in the adolescent lives of
Grade 6 students, reaching them just prior to the junior high years --
a point in life where inexperience often lends itself to increased
feelings of curiosity, temptation and, in many cases, poor
decision-making habits on behalf of our youth.

Much of this process is directly attributed to common feelings of
insecurity which traditionally go hand-in-hand with being in an
unfamiliar environment where peer pressure takes on many new and
frightening forms.

That can include everything from experimenting with drugs and alcohol
to smoking -- all in a misguided effort to fit in and be well-liked.

How our young students handle these difficult lifestyle situations
remains critical to their personal development and their eventual
place in society as a responsible, caring individual.

The DARE Program teaches our students that it's okay to say no to
drinking alcohol, smoking and doing drugs by providing them with a
clear picture of the damaging effects which these substances can present.

That makes them winners in all of our eyes.