STUDENTS FIRST TO GRADUATE UNDER NEW DARE CURRICULUM

Mark Lingenfelser estimates that he's been through about 80
culmination ceremonies for the DARE program.

And ceremonies the Drug Abuse Resistance Education instructor oversaw
this month were similar to ones held in previous years, but the
journey through the fall semester was not without some changes.

This semester marked the first time Lingenfelser taught a new DARE
curriculum to Leavenworth fifth-graders.

The traditional 17-week program was shortened to 11 -- the new
curriculum called for only 10 weekly sessions but Lingenfelser kept a
lesson from the old program. Lingenfelser, an officer with the
Leavenworth Police Department, said he still managed to finish up just
before the end of the first semester, but he had a lot more scheduling
flexibility along the way.

At a culmination ceremony Thursday, Lingenfelser said one of the
biggest changes in the new curriculum is the inclusion of a lesson
that focuses on forming positive friendships. This is something the
instructor said he always tried to incorporate into the old curriculum.

Students are responsible for their own decisions, "but (friends) can
influence those choices a good deal," Lingenfelser said Thursday at
Nettie Hartnett Elementary School. He said the DARE program now
includes an increased focus on decision making throughout the curriculum.

Students are provided a decision making model -- define, assess,
respond and evaluate, or DARE for short.

"It took them awhile to walk through it and make a decision,"
Lingenfelser said.

By the end of the semester, however, students seemed to have the hang
of it.

They were able to go through the process without having to refer back
to their notebook, he said.

The new curriculum has the endorsement of at least one fifth-grade
teacher.

"I think it's better than it used to be," Mark Davoren said during
Thursday's culmination.

Lingenfelser said the response from other teachers also has been
positive.

The new curriculum was taught at four Leavenworth elementary schools
this semester, affecting about 200 students, Lingenfelser said.

Deputy Connie Anderson, Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office, also
taught the curriculum this semester in Tonganoxie.

Three of the Leavenworth schools held culmination ceremonies this
week.

Muncie Elementary School originally had been scheduled to hold its
culmination last week, but the event had to be postponed when classes
were canceled because of winter weather.

A culmination Wednesday at Earl M. Lawson Elementary School came less
than a week after the building's principal was arrested on drug charges.

That issue was never raised during the ceremony, according to
Lingenfelser and police Maj. Steve Stich.

Stich said the school seems to be doing well with a strong support
group of parents and an interim principal.

Still a favorite to speak at the culmination ceremonies is County
Attorney Frank Kohl.

At Thursday's ceremony, Kohl told Nettie Hartnett students that their
DARE lessons, like the other subjects in school, are tools.

And tools are only as good as the people who use them.

He noted that DARE students receive pencils among other gifts when
they graduate.

He said pencils are also tools.

Kohl said he has never seen a person use an entire pencil without
using up the eraser.

He said a person who doesn't use the eraser doesn't worry about the
mistakes he's made.

"Making mistakes is not a problem," Kohl said. "Failing to correct
them is."

The DARE curriculum continues to require students to write
essays.

In the past, students generally have written about what they liked
best about the DARE program.

This year, many students included statistics and other information
they picked up during the lessons.

It showed they had been paying attention, Lingenfelser said.