DAYTON ELEMENTARY TEACHER CHOSEN D.A.R.E. TEACHER OF THE
YEAR

A Dayton Elementary School teacher's efforts to keep her fifth-grade
students off of drugs has landed her a statewide honor.

Linda Peterson was chosen as the 2006-2007 D.A.R.E. Teacher of the
Year, a statewide honor designed to honor teachers who participate
in the D.A.R.E, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, program.

She said that along with Lyon County Sheriff's D.A.R.E. Officer Bob
Kahn, she tries to make sure her students understand the dangers of
all kinds of drugs, from meth to inhalants, to alcohol and tobacco.

"We also talk about the difference between medicinal drugs you take
for an illness versus street drugs," she said.

Peterson, who has taught for 13 years, seven in Lyon County, said
kids are interested in the D.A.R.E. program.

"It's an important program and the kids really love it," she said.

Peterson said D.A.R.E. is essential because students are becoming
exposed to drugs at an early age.

"I'd rather have them know about it rather than have them
accidentally taking meth, with the strawberry meth and, I guess
there's a chocolate one now," she said.

Peterson said she laminated pictures of strawberry meth and posted
them in her class so students can identify them.

"It looks like packaged gelatin," she said. "They're not going to
know the difference between the meth and strawberry gelatin. Drug
dealers are trying to get kids younger and younger hooked."

Peterson was a military wife and mother, who didn't begin her career
until after her children were grown and her husband, Earl, had
retired from the service. Then she went back to school to earn her
teaching credentials and began her second career.

Kahn, who nominated Peterson for the award, said he did so because
she was an "outstanding educator, one who really cares."

"She just pushes them, stay away from drugs, be everything you can
be," he said.