D.A.R.E. GRADS CHOOSE POSITIVE PATH

BAMBERG -- A disruptive student in Officer Adrienne Blume's fifth grade Drug
Abuse Resistant Education class becomes a part of the lesson as she motions
him to a corner at the front of the class. His incessant chattering during
listening time has landed him in the hot seat.

"What have we learned about respect in this class?" Blume asks.

"Show respect, and you'll receive respect," the D.A.R.E. officer reminds
them.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program taught by Blume at Richard
Carroll Elementary School in Bamberg and to fifth graders across the nation
gives students the chance and courage to choose a positive path in life.

This Friday, Jan. 17, Bamberg's D.A.R.E. program will hold a graduation
ceremony for 122 fifth-graders at RCES, their parents, relatives and
friends. The program will include skits, awards and the reading of essays.

RCES Principal Skipper Smith encourages interested members of the community
to attend as well.

"This graduation ceremony rewards our students for completing a very
difficult program," Smith said. "They spend eight to nine weeks covering 16
lessons."

Smith referred to the D.A.R.E. program graduation as "the students' first
report card of life" as they enter the age of learning to say "no" to drugs
and violence.

"It's been very important to keep the D.A.R.E. program at RCES, especially
with the increase in drug and alcohol abuse that children now days are
exposed to," Smith said.

Parents can help their children continue to resist drugs and violence by
keeping an open dialogue and setting a good example, Smith said.