DARE BEAR GIVES STUDENTS REASON TO STAY DRUG-FREE

Baylor students are reaching out to the younger members of the Waco
community by participating in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

"A lot of kids have the misconception that once you get into junior high or
high school everyone does drugs," said Natalie Cook, a Katy freshman and
president of DARE Bear. "We want to show kids that you can be successful
and have fun without doing drugs."

The DARE Bear program will fill an important role in the already existing
DARE program in McLennan County.

"It's great to have Baylor students come in [and] talk to the kids," said
Sgt. Joe Lindsey, head of McLennan County DARE and off-campus sponsor of
DARE Bear. "They are excellent examples of successful young adults who are
doing things with their lives completely free of drugs."

The local DARE program graduates approximately 3,500 fifth graders from the
program each year. DARE also does smaller workshops with students from
kindergarten to fourth grade. The central aim of the DARE Bear program is
to encourage young people to stay away from drugs by providing personal
testimony of their lives.

Tentative plans are being made for a possible trip to campus to allow
students in the DARE program to participate in Baylor traditions such as Dr
Pepper Hour.

"A big part of keeping kids off drugs is motivating them," Cook said. "We
want the kids we'll have contact with to get excited about college."