DARE GRADUATION

Constable Brianne Chanel of the Russell Community office of the Prairie
Mountain Detachment and the 39 students of Major Pratt's grade six classes
celebrated their graduation from the RCMP sponsored DARE program designed
to educate kids about the dangers and alcohol, drugs and tobacco and open
up lines of communication about the issue.

"I think the kids knew that they were at that age when they'd have to start
making some decisions. And the program opened up the lines of
communication. Brianne created an atmosphere where the kids felt
comfortable to ask anything and she really developed a rapport with them. I
know that all the kids really looked forward to that class every week -
Grade six teacher Gord Baskerville on the RCMP's DARE program."

Here in Major Pratt, at least, it was a first.

And what a success it was.

The RCMP sponsored DARE program has been a round for a while. Started in
the U. S., the program made it's way up to Canada a few years ago.

While the foundation of the DARE program is drug awareness, the premise
behind the program is establishing an open line of communication with the
grade six students.

"The DARE curriculum is excellent," Major Pratt's Vice Principal Rob
Tomlinson said. "It's proven and used right across

North America. It's a great course that the kids were always very excited
about attending. I know that a lot of the kids were sad after the 17 week
program was over." But the course itself, he said was only one portion of
the end result.

"It was observed that the kids definitely developed a relationship with
Brianne who is also our school liaison officer with the RCMP," he added.

And if anything, Tomlinson said, the building of trust between the RCMP and
DARE students was also one of the main goals of the program.

"We wanted the students to know who she is, to learn that they can actually
talk to her and develop that rapport. So the DARE program and all the other
positive aspects were really kind of a bonus."

The success of the program, Tomlinson said, came because of the relaxed
atmosphere Cst. Chanel brought to the classroom.

"In Brianne's classroom there was an anonymous question box and a lot of
discussion," he explained.

"That was really the key to the whole program. The whole thing was based on
opening up the lines of communication. And Brianne did a fantastic job of
creating a relaxed, non threatening atmosphere where there were no stupid
questions."

"And at this age, really perfect age for the program kids have a lot of
misconceptions and questions they need answered."

And the work Cst. Chanel put into the program, he said, is greatly appreciated.

"Brianne was in the classroom for a total of 34 hours of classroom time,"
Tomlinson said. "That in itself is phenomenal, especially for someone who
works shift work to take the time, first to train for the course and then
to prepare for the classroom time. All for the sake of the kids."