Pubdate: Fri, 01 Nov 2002
Source: Leaf-Chronicle, The (US TN)
Copyright: 2002, The Leaf-Chronicle
Contact: http://www.theleafchronicle.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.theleafchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1601
Author: Leo Rowe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

D.A.R.E. HELPS CHILDREN SEE POLICE DIFFERENTLY

LETTERS From time to time, I encounter someone opposed to the D.A.R.E. 
program. It's just like any other thing that is on top. When you're number 
one, that's who you pick on.

People have asked me, "Does D.A.R.E. work?" I say yes.

The next challenge is usually, "prove it." It is easy for me to see the 
effectiveness in the program when I look straight into a 10-year-old 
child's eye, and he says thank you for showing me how to resist the bad 
things in the world.

 From the time a child has his second D.A.R.E. lesson, he will smile and 
see police officers in a different way than ever before. These are some of 
the rewards I receive in instructing this program.

Recently, two new scientific medical studies have been completed. Findings 
of the Meharry School of Medicine study recently published by the 
prestigious Journal of the National Medical Association demonstrates that 
the D.A.R.E curriculum is highly effective in prevention of smoking among 
elementary school-aged children.

This week the University of Akron released results of the new D.A.R.E 7th 
grade curriculum. The findings show improvements in student's 
decision-making skills, drug refusal skills, and beliefs that drug use is 
socially inappropriate. This research result was based on findings from an 
ongoing five-year study.

A D.A.R.E Officer might say he would be happy with saving just one child. 
For me, I strive to save them all. I hope you will too.

Always support the D.A.R.E. program.

LEO ROWE

Clarksville
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D