Students Receive Awards from D.A.R.E.

Sixth grade essay and participation award winners pictured with Deputy Phillip Ryan are Beckett Nelson, Alaina Wolff, London LaFortune, Mason Mergen, Madelyn Krempges, and Nixie May-Duncan.

Last week we had a graduation of sorts. On Dec. 8 our sixth graders were given awards acknowledging their work focusing on Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.). All students were each awarded certificates of completion. Medals were awarded to winners of each class’s essay winner, while t-shirts and stuffed animals were given to students exhibiting high participation, positive attitude and great citizenship.

In its more than 30-year history, D.A.R.E. education program has provide students with the knowledge and tools then need to resist drugs, alcohol, and other high risk behaviors. D.A.R.E.’s programming has been implemented in thousands of schools throughout the United States and many other countries. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

Our new School Resource Officer, Deputy Phillip Ryan, completed the instruction over the first semester. This is Ryan’s first time teaching the lessons, which focus on: Risky situations, responding to pressure, peer pressure, effective communication, making safe and responsible decisions, bullying, being a good citizen, and stress. The acronym REAL is a large part of the curriculum and teaches youth four ways to refuse drug/alcohol offers – Refuse, Explain, Avoid and Leave.

Sixth grade essay and participation award winners pictured with Deputy Ryan are Beckett Nelson, Alaina Wolff, London LaFortune, Mason Mergen, Madelyn Krempges, and Nixie May-Duncan.

By Fran Ruesink, Dell Rapids Middle School Principal