Since 1983, students have been positively affected by the D.A.R.E., Drug Abuse Resistance Education, program. D.A.R.E recently held a graduation ceremony at Central Elementary in Waynesville to recognize the completion of the hard work put forth by fifth graders in the program. Students worked with Officer Tyler Howell and Officer Dave Clancey, both of the Waynesville Police Department, in a ten week program that teaches about making safe and responsible decisions. Andrew DelBene states that “the DARE Decision Making Model helps you to make better decisions when there is a problem and you don’t know what to do.” Other lessons dealt with handling stress, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, bullying, and resistance strategies. Student learning culminated with a DARE essay in which each student could share what he or she learned. An essay winner is selected and recognized from each classroom. This year’s essay winners were Andrew DelBene and Kyleigh Trout. The essay winners received a prize as a reward for their outstanding writing efforts to express what they had learned in D.A.R.E.

Every year, one student is also selected to receive the Tommy Green Award. The student receiving this award is recognized for working diligently to become a role model for students around them. Their consistent behavior and positive attitude are commended in memory of Officer Tommy Green, who had a passion for educating students to enable them to make correct decisions. This year’s Tommy Green Award winner was Dawson Inman.

Essay winner Kyleigh Trout summarized the program well when she wrote, “I realized that D.A.R.E. has not only taught me about stuff that can hurt my body but also about life decisions. I can make a decision to smoke or not and that will affect my future but D.A.R.E. will help me make the right choice so I can live a long healthy life.”

Submitted by:  Janet Frazier, Central Elementary School