SPORTSCASTER DARES KIDS TO SAY NO TO DRUGS, ALCOHOL

Philadelphia television sportscaster Phil Andrews captivated the 110 fifth
graders and their parents gathered inside the Quarry Hill Elementary School
cafeorium for the annual D.A.R.E. Graduation on January 29.

"Unfortunately, statistics show that some of you will try drugs," the
Channel 6 weekend sports anchor warned the youths, speaking against using
cocaine and other substances like marijuana.

Andrews had the youngsters roaring with laughter when he said the only
thing that should go up their nose is their finger.

Andrews, who joined WPVI-TV in 1990, worked as a sportscaster in
Connecticut and New Hampshire before coming to Philadelphia. He received
his bachelor's degree in communications from the University of New
Hampshire where he played football. He has three children.

"You guys all look so nice in your shirts," Andrews said of the
fifth-graders, all of whom were sporting the special blue D.A.R.E.
t-shirts. He joked about how he enjoys having hundreds of little eyes
looking at him.

The sportscaster encouraged the youngsters not to get involved in substance
abuse. "You guys have gone through the easy part," he said. "You know drugs
are bad."

Peer pressure, Andrews told the 110 youths and their parents, will be a
force to confront. "The tough part is to 'Just Say No,'" said Andrews, who
is a frequent DARE graduation speaker.

"Today it's horrible what's out there," Andrews said. "Parents worry about
their children going away from home. As a parent, that's what's
scary...away from your structure."

"Just say --," he said, encouraging a response from the audience.

"No!" came the unison reply.

Andrews said there will be temptations and advised the D.A.R.E. graduating
class not touch drugs. He said there are many kinds of dangerous substances
in addition to marijuana and cocaine. "Steroids are often used by athletes.
Some people think they make people strong, but they are drugs," Andrews
said. "Some people who use steroids have died, he warned.

"Alcohol can be a drug if you get addicted to it," Andrews continued.

Andrews also told about a college friend. "He was a real oddball," he said.
"He shaved his head in a Mohawk. He had tattoos. He was clean. He was as
strong as an ox. He ate the right foods. He worked out. One time, just one
time (he tried cocaine.) What happens if you take drugs? You get addicted.
Just one little bit. What if you like it and you're at a party and you
smell it? You keep doing it and doing it.

"This is what happened to my friend," Andrews continued. "He had the
potential to play professional football. One night he got some bad stuff
(laced with cleaning fluid). He put something up his nose. He got violently
ill and had a massive brain hemorage. Today, he's a vegetable."

After Andrews' talk, groups from each class "Took A Stand" against drugs
and alcohol by presenting a variety of skits and songs.

The rap performances were the most popular. The kids sang and rapped about
staying fit, staying drug free, what it's like being addicted and how
cigarettes cause 400,000 deaths every year.

"Be smart, don't start," was the theme of one rap number against smoking.
"If you chose to smoke, you're crazy. Please don't smoke, that's no joke."

Another group warned that if you use drugs you will lose brain cells. "Come
on everyone, join in," the youngsters sang. Everyone was clapping along.

Quarry Hill Principal Karen Laarkamp, who served as the emcee for the
night, commended D.A.R.E. officers Brian Omlor of the Lower Makefield
Police Department and Cpl. Michael Wolverton of the Falls Township Police
Department who worked closely with the fifth graders over the past few
months delivering the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.

"It's definitely an exciting night for the kids and us to see their hard
work come together and to see the support from the community," said Det.
Omlor. "They respond very well. We eat lunch and have recess with
them...They have a good time. We have a good time. They learn something
along the way."

Donald Harm, Pennsbury's assistant superintendent for administration, was
one of the speakers. Before the program began, he talked about why D.A.R.E.
is important. "It's good to get kids learning coping skills at a young
age," he said, emphasizing that substance abuse often starts in elementary
school. "Throughout life, they'll be faced with choices."

Ken Coluzzi, Lower Makefield Township police chief, came dressed in full
uniform. "This is just a pleasure to come here and see these kids' faces --
their parents and the community," he said. "This is the highlight of my day
-- coming here."

For Pete Stainthorpe, a member of the Lower Makefield Board of Supervisors,
this was his third D.A.R.E. graduation in recent weeks. "I come to as many
of these as I can to let the parents and kids know that the township
supports them. I also like the police officers to know that we support them."

Linda Palsky, Pennsbury School Board president, told the crowd that the
D.A.R.E. graduation is a "major" event in their lives. She pointed to the
presence of police and local officials in the audience as proof of that.
Palsky joked and said attending gatherings like the D.A.R.E. program is
much more interesting than "boring" meetings. "I'm proud of you and the
parents," Palsky said.

The D.A.R.E. officers proved that they have creative talents when they
topped the evening off with a moving slide show. Candid shots of the
D.A.R.E. students projected on a large screen were featured. Music
accompanied the show. Encouraging words from the song, "The World's
Greatest," filled the school cafetorium: "I'm that star up in the sky. I'm
that mountain peak up high. I made it. I'm the world's greatest and I'm
that little bit of hope when my back's against the ropes. I can feel it
mmm. I'm the world's greatest."

Principal Laarkamp commended the D.A.R.E. leaders. "I think they outdid
themselves," she said.

"We are extremely proud of each and every one of these children as they
should be of themselves," said PTO President Heather Waters.

Later, Waters commended the parents for doing "an outstanding job...The
most important people in this room are our fifth grade graduates...Dare to
be the best you can be," she said.

The PTO, which sponsored the D.A.R.E. program, provided a sea of baked
goods after the graduation. Homemade brownies, chocolate chip cookies and
mini cupcakes, with rainbow sprinkles of course, were the PTO's way of
bestowing positive reinforcement for the D.A.R.E. graduates and their families.

Also providing positive reinforcement for the graduates were the
fifth-grade teachers: Valarie Engle, Jennifer Johnston, Maryann Tiso and
Kim Walter. And who could forget Daren the Lion and McGruff, who takes a
bite out of crime? The two oversized stuffed animals were on hand to shake
the graduates' hands, along with other dignitaries.