GRADE 6 STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM DARE PROGRAM

The Grade 6 students at J.C. Charyk school were presented certificates
and prizes on June 27 for completing the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (DARE) program.

RCMP Const. Janice Schoepp taught the 46 Grade 6 students about what
drugs and alcohol do to you, but also about situations involving drug
abuse.

Schoepp said: "It's basically a program that not only educates
students about drugs and alcohol-drugs being marijuana and nicotine,
but it educates them on what their choices are, and how to stay out of
situations they don't want to get into. We teach them phrases or
techniques, just things to help them get out of those
situations."

Const. Schoepp said the experience is more geared towards getting
students to talk about drugs in an open setting.

"It provides them with the opportunity to discuss different situations
and ask questions," Schoepp said. "It educates them, but it also
provides me and them the opportunity to establish a
relationship."

Const. Schoepp also said the program helps teach kids how to make good
decisions for their sake and the sake of their families.

"It's important to think before making a decision,"Schoepp said. "They
think about the consequences of participating in some of these
behaviors and see there are consequences for your actions."

The student's teachers also see this as a positive move for the kids
as they grow up and possibly enter into more situations involving
drugs and alcohol.

"This gives them a different perspective on things," said Grade 6
teacher Andrew Billings. "They're more willing to listen to Constable
Schoepp in this area and I feel it's a very positive thing where
students start to see law enforcement to be in a human element. It
makes sense to them and helps them make wise decisions."

Billings also said now is the best age to teach kids about drugs, as
they are still growing.

"Most relate to alcohol and drugs through tv, media, etcetera, and by
having this in the classroom and them being at a very moldable age in
Grade 6, they may start to decide to go against drugs and alcohol down
the road," Billings said. "If we turn them off drugs and alcohol at
this age, they likely won't turn to them when they get older."

Schoepp said she enjoys teaching the students the DARE program as she
was a teacher herself before entering the RCMP.

"I really enjoy teaching the program," Schoepp said. "We have a lot of
laughs about it and they learn a very important lesson."