After a few years hiatus, the Drumheller RCMP has reinstituted the DARE Program to area schools.
The Drug Abuse Resistance Awareness Program has been wildly successful over the years throughout North America. This year Constable Craig Nelson, with support from Mark Amatto delivered the program to Greentree School, as well as Morrin School, Delia School and Carbon School.
“Every school that wanted has it,” Nelson told the Mail. During the last week of school, all four held their graduations.
DARE has grown into a more holistic program.
“It was originally about drug resistance education, but now it is more about making appropriate decisions. There is a portion about drugs, but there is also a portion about standing up for yourself and standing up to bullies.”
Other components include effective communication, how to recognize emotions and how to deal with them appropriately.
“Instead of just talking about drugs, now we are giving them the tools to make decisions,” said Nelson.
Beyond the curriculum of the program, it is a chance for young people in Grades 5 and 6 to interact with RCMP officers.
“If I can keep kids off drugs and have them make good decisions, that is one thing, but really at the end of the day a kid’s first interaction with they police shouldn’t be when the are 16 and driving, and getting pulled over by police,” he said. “We should be able to build a relationship with our youth at a younger age so that they learn what we’re about, learn what we are here for. We are here for a service, we want to help.”
He enjoys this component.
“It is cool for me to walk through the school and all the kids know me, if that carries on throughout their young adulthood and into their grown years… for me that is my goal to build bridges to the community.”
He hopes that the program will continue into the future.
“They are really good kids and really receptive to this,” said Nelson. “The good thing is there is a lot of discussion so kids can bring up their issues.”
“It’s cool to let the kids steer the bus and see the issues that are important to them.”
