D.A.R.E. TEEN ATTENDS SPECIAL SESSION AT F.B.I. HEADQUARTERS

Carla Groves, 17, a senior at Wynford High School and member of the
National D.A.R.E. Youth Advisory Board (YAB), represented the state of
Ohio last fall at the FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va. Carla joined
46 other teens from around the United States for a four-day conference
that consisted of gaining information about street drugs and their bad
effects, leadership training, team building and sightseeing of nearby
Washington, D.C.

This is her second year to represent Ohio on the YAB. Her travels
across Ohio and to Quantico were complements of D.A.R.E. America, the
organization that informs today's youth of the consequences of
recreational drugs so that they can make the informed decision to say
"no" when offered substances that are harmful to the body and/or addicting.

The war against drugs is a huge problem for teens that face pressures
to "fit in" or seek a temporary escape from life's experiences,
D.A.R.E. officials said. Most teens do not realize that their first
attempt at recreational drugs can lead to death. Entire families can
be devastated by a teen drug abuser or by the death of a teen as a
result of drug use.

Carla and her mother, Karen, stayed in the dorms at the FBI and Drug
Enforcement Administration's (DEA) training headquarters. After
individual introductions and group activities, the two spent days in
classroom settings observing videos of drug parties known as "raves"
and learning about what effects specific drugs have on the body. In
addition, they spent time with the FBI and DEA agents who enacted drug
raids, explained their raid and protective equipment, demonstrated
their sharp shooting skills at the shooting range and offered
information to parents on supporting and communicating with teens and
other parents. Nighttime activities included tours of various
memorials in Washington, D.C., and a visit to the DEA museum near the
Pentagon.

As part of Groves' responsibilities as the Ohio D.A.R.E. youth
representative, she has given talks at various D.A.R.E. graduations
across the state. In addition, Carla sees herself as a positive
example of a teen who isn't afraid to speak out against drugs to other
teens and can share the positive effects of staying drug-free with the
younger children.

Deputy Tim Ley, Crawford County's D.A.R.E. officer, said "Carla is an
excellent role model for our children."