D.A.R.E. PROGRAM INTRODUCED AT HIGH SCHOOL

Two Fort Frances OPP officers were at Fort High over the past week bringing
the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program to Grade 10 students
for the first time.

'It increases awareness that violence is happening and makes them aware of
what they need to know about it,' Grade 10 Civics teacher Nancy Gillon said
Monday after the final class of the week-long program.

D.A.R.E. currently is taught by police to Grade 6 students across the
district. But by next year, about 250 Grade 10 students also will complete
the program.

Topics in the new five-day course ranged from driving while impaired and
drug testing to managing anger, and safe and healthy teen relationships,
giving teens information they need to make the right decisions.

'We're trying to clear up the myths,' said Cst. Al MacDonald, who helped
teach the course with Cst. Cameron Howard.

D.A.R.E. uses role-playing, classroom discussions, and the experiences of
police officers to teach the students. By bringing a breathalyzer into
class one day, and highlighting aspects of the law that might involve them
the next, Cst. MacDonald said the teens were fully engaged in the program.

'The kids responded excellently,' he said. 'At first they were hesitant but
they did a good job sharing their feelings.'

Several students walked away with a greater appreciation for the law--and
an awareness that violence doesn't just happen in big cities.

'The most shocking thing is hearing about everything that goes on that we
don't notice,' said Dylan Glesby, one of almost 50 students who has
participated in the program already.

'A whole bunch of crime stuff goes on every day that we don't notice like
date rape, drunken alcoholism, verbal fights, assaults. . . .'

That was apparent during a final survey when the class gasped after
learning teens have the fastest-growing crime rate in the country, and that
one in three are afraid to walk home alone at night.

'It's a good mind refresher to keep the community safe,' Glesby added after
the last class.

'[I learned] how serious the consequences are to the stuff you do, like if
you're caught drinking in a car,' said Trina McIntosh, who also was part of
the first group of high school D.A.R.E. students.

Megan Cuthbertson said she was shocked to find out the number of people
using drugs and alcohol, or how much violence is really out there. She
added it was a great idea to bring the program back in Grade 10.

'It's pretty effective. In Grade 6, it was all about self-esteem . . . it's
more relevant now,' she said.

McIntosh agreed the new D.A.R.E. program was helpful. 'I think it's pretty
effective because this is the age people are doing it a lot,' she said.

Several students noted in class surveys that the role-playing and real-life
examples made a big impact on them. One also wrote to thank the officers
for bringing up the subject of violence into the classroom.

These responses are just what Cst. MacDonald wanted to hear.

'The overall goal is if it reduces violence and makes things safer for
teenagers, then Ms. Gillon and myself have done our jobs,' he remarked.