DANGERS OF DRUG USE TAUGHT WITH A SMILE

TUNNELTON -- Preston sixth-graders agree that Preston Sheriff's Deputy
Sgt. Bob Baylor is pretty funny, but he carries a serious message.

"Snuff has battery acid in it," South Preston Middle School
sixth-grader Cody Haskiell said. "And cigarettes have a lot of stuff
in them," added his classmate, Ashley Johnson.

"Smoking can kill you really fast," Summer Adams threw in, while
Samantha Martin threw in the ultimate message "Don't do drugs!"

Baylor was proud as he handed out T-shirts, rulers and diplomas to the
67 students at South during the school's Drug Abuse Resistance
Education graduation ceremony.

"I have a good rapport with the teachers, the students and the
principals," Baylor said. "I try to make the program fun while also
educating. I like to interact with the kids. I just love having fun
with the kids, and if the kids are having fun, they learn.

And the kids agree.

"He was funny when he told us something. He showed us what he was
talking about; he didn't just tell us," South Preston sixth-grader Tim
Shrout said, while watching Baylor show Logan Wilson how to play Hacky
Sack, a lesson marked more by enthusiasm than skill.

Baylor has been in law enforcement long enough, including 12 years as
Preston County's DARE officer, to know all the happy faces today hide
a multitude of personal, social and medical conditions that may put
some in the back seat of his squad car someday. But what they learned
here may help them avoid it too, he said.

"I've had kids come back to me, especially the two years I was (a
resource officer) at the high school, who had been in my DARE classes,
and a lot of them related to me that the information they received
here was helpful,"Baylor said.

While DARE's effectiveness is being attacked in some places, Preston
County's program continues full force, with the blessings of parents,
law enforcement and students.

After the DARE graduation, some students asked to have their photos
taken with "Officer Bob." Parents shook his hand and thanked him.
Parent Bob Jones, who has counseled alcoholics and drug abusers,
offered some materials.

"This is real important," Jones said. "The more you bring it to their
minds, the more you show them what it can do, the better it is later
in life."

As the sixth-graders left the gym, Baylor tossed a final reminder to
them, "Kids, don't forget, if you ever have a problem, call me!"