TRUTH AND D.A.R.E

"Unfortunately my family has been through the tragedy of someone dying
because of the use of drugs. I also have an uncle that is addicted to
cocaine and marijuana...[he] lives on the streets."

It was these words from James Kennedy Elementary Grade 5 student Ally
Woodward that hushed a packed room full of students, parents, siblings and
dignitaries, as she spoke about how she's lost one uncle to drugs and
another who's strung out on the streets of East Hastings.

Ally's award-winning essay was part of her D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance
Education) graduation ceremonies held in the school's gym Thursday night.

A total of 62 James Kennedy Grade 5s, wearing their D.A.R.E. shirts,
accepted their certificates of graduation from Langley RCMP Cpl. Warren
Tomalty, who taught the three classes the drug awareness and education program.

"I can teach and teach, but it's essays like Ally's that really hit home
for people. When she started speaking, I saw the kids faces, they were
really listening," said Tomalty of Woodward's essay.

Wearing red serge, Tomalty not only got to hand over certificates to a huge
graduating D.A.R.E class, but one of those students is his own son. "I feel
pretty lucky that I got to teach my own son this program," Tomalty said in
an earlier interview.

Langley boasts the largest D.A.R.E. program in B.C., and is also one of the
few municipalities that has a full-time D.A.R.E. police officer working in
the schools.

Tomalty has been teaching the program for more than six years, the last two
at James Kennedy. He believes in the benefits of the program so much so
that he volunteers his own time, outside of his regular duties, to teach
the program to Langley youth. He also fundraises all year, and paid 90 per
cent of the cost of this year's DARE program. Diving for golf balls at some
of the best golf courses around, all the money he receives from selling the
balls goes back to D.A.R.E. The school's PAC will only have to pay about
$150 for the course, said Principal Derek Robinson.

"We appreciate his commitment to kids' safety. It's a real win-win
situation, when we can get the school, parents and the community working
together," said Robinson, while dozens of parents lined up to thank Tomalty
after the ceremony.

Ally's mom Carla is one of those parents that appreciates the program.

"It's awesome. This is our second child to go through the program," said
Carla Woodward. "Ally's sister graduated a few years ago."

Ask Ally if she knows just what to say if asked to do drugs and she's quick
to respond.

"I would say 'no thanks' and walk away and go tell an adult," she said
after receiving accolades for her powerful essay as well as an outstanding
achievement medal that she wore around her neck.

Over the years there has been some criticism about the D.A.R.E. program and
whether or not it reaches kids.

"We have to start somewhere," said Tomalty, adding that one of the
complaints was the program was too long, so it was shortened from 17 to 10
hours. James Kennedy is now also working on a refresher course for students
in Grade 7, Robinson said.

"The sad fact is everyone of these kids will have to face peer pressure to
use drugs. When that happens they'll have the strategies they need to say
no," he said. He has seen the benefits of the D.A.R.E. program on the
school grounds.

"We've known of kids that walked away from situations. D.A.R.E. offers kids
the tools, they have to choose to use them."

The enthusiastic Grade 5s all promised to to say no Thursday night, one
student even promising to shave his head and write 'loser' on it if he does
drugs.

The 10 week program educates kids on what the three gateway drugs are
(marijuana, alcohol and tobacco), what the consequences of taking these
drugs are, information about addiction, and most importantly how to handle
peer pressure and different ways of saying no.

"I love my life and I want to see it all the way to the end," said D.A.R.E.
graduate Jennifer Wright, who also read her award-winning essay out loud,
along with four other students including Ally.

"I don't want my lungs to get black and I don't want my brain cells to
die," she said.

School District administrator Rob Ross told the students he's seen the
benefits of D.A.R.E when he was a principal at Gordon Greenwood.

"I met a lot of students who made poor choices," he said. "But the last two
years I was at Gordon Greenwood was when the D.A.R.E. program was there. I
watched what the Corporal did and the enthusiasm the students had," said Ross.

If anything, D.A.R.E lets students get to know police officers.

"The one-on-one relationship I have with youth pays dividends in the
future. When I visit the high school here they kids remember me. We want
students to respect and trust us," Tomalty said.