GRADE FIVE STUDENTS AT DAVIDSON ROAD D.A.R.E. TO SAY NO TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

Davidson Road Elementary grade five students have been prepared to
deal with important life decisions regarding drugs, alcohol, and peer
pressure after graduating from the RCMP taught D.A.R.E. program.
D.A.R.E. stands for drug abuse resistance education and has been
successfully taught across Canada to grade five students as a
preventative measure to curb drug and alcohol use.

On Tuesday, December 4th Davidson Road Elementary held a graduation
ceremony for Mr. Smith's and Mrs. Tennant's classes who recently
completed the course taught by Cst. Keber of the Kelowna RCMP.

The evening started off with the graduates parading into the
gymnasium before an audience of proud parents. The grade fives then
lead the room in singing the national anthem.

Following a few introductions and a message from the principal,
several graduates were asked to come to the microphone and discuss
what they had learned. Students discussed techniques for saying no to
drugs in the face of peer pressure, and how to avoid situations where
drinking and drugs are present.

Another component of the course required each student to write an
essay about the negative effects that drugs have on people. Joella
Koblischke, MacKenzie Moore, Michael Burnham, Marylottie Reid-Reiner,
Bobby Davis, and Michelle Machalka were invited to the microphone to
read their essays to the audience. They spoke about the possibilities
of jail time, criminal records, and reductions in mental capacity as
some of the impacts associated with drugs and alcohol.

The graduates were then invited to walk down a red carpet to receive
their D.A.R.E. diplomas, and to shake hands with Cst. Keber,
principal Mr. Mackenzie, teachers Mr. Smith and Mrs. Tennant,
District of Lake Country Councilor Alice Rees, and Sgt. Shields of
the Lake Country RCMP.