D.A.R.E. ESSAY WINNER AT INGLEWOOD

I think the D.A.R.E. Program is a great way to teach kids about the dangers
of using drugs. D.A.R.E. is really fun but also really serious. I was
surprised that only 14% of kids use drugs, and I think that more would be
using drugs if D.A.R.E. didn't tech kids ways to stand up to drug dealers.

The D.A.R.E. Program taught me why not to use drugs, not just don't do
drugs. I learned of ways to say NO, and all about friendly teasing,
indirect and heavy peer pressure.

I put D.A.R.E. in the inside of my baseball glove to remind myself of what
I can do if I stay drug-free. I have a dream of being in the NHL and many
other kids have dreams just like me. We know what drugs can do to dreams.

Today, drugs are so easy to get and so easy to die from too. I want to live
until I'm one hundred years old, and to do that I need to stay drug-free
and violence free.

All drugs affect the way I think and if I can't think, I could a lot of bad
things like, get mixed up with a violent gang and many other violent things.

I have the choice to use drugs and I will always make the choice to stay
drug and violence free.