Pubdate: Tue, 17 Dec 2002
Source: Daily World, The (LA)
Copyright: South Louisiana Publishing 2002
Contact:  http://www.dailyworld.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1740
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

DARE STUDENTS COMPLETE PROGRAM

Students Who Dare To Be Different In Opelousas Are Being Rewarded For Their 
Decision.

There were 46 students at Opelousas Catholic school who graduated from this 
semester's Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. They are among 220 who 
will graduate this week.

Newly-named student role model Meredith Richard, a seventh grader, told the 
graduates the challenge to be drug free will probably come later in life.

"The challenge will come as you move into junior high school and then even 
more so when you move into high school," she told DARE graduates Monday.

Principal Perry Fontenot said the Opelousas DARE program, which has been 
around for about 10 years, is aiding in helping to keep children away from 
drugs.

"It is one thing to tell students to say no to drugs, but another to give 
them what they needed - the skills to say no," he said.

DARE officer Capt. Martin McLendon said there are eight steps to keep 
children off drugs. Richard alluded to them in her speech. She told 
students they can walk away, change the subject, repeat 'no' and the most 
important way to avoid drug activity is to associate themselves with 
students who are involved in positive activities.

"If you want to avoid drugs and violence, you must stay in the right 
crowd," she said.

An essay contest winner, Dylan Tabb, credited police officers like McLendon 
for helping him to stay away from drug activity and violence.

"I think that the world needs more police officers like ours that teach 
support, and care about how we live. If we all put our minds to DARE, we 
can reach our goals," he said.

Tabb added that his involvement in sports helps him to stay away from drugs.

Another winner, Chandler Cart, said the DARE program has made him aware of 
how harmful drugs can be to the human body.

"The abuse of drugs can ruin your life. God has given us one precious life 
to live. I choose to live my life to the fullest. Because of DARE, I choose 
to be drug free," he said.

Tabb and Cart were first-place essay contest winners in their classes. 
Other winners include: second-place winner Andrea Ducharme and third-place 
winner Aimee McCormick from teacher Joey Tuminello's class. In Judy 
Courville's class the second-place winner is Kaylin Lalonde and the 
third-place winner is Katie Guidroz.

Cresswell Elementary also had a DARE graduation Monday. On Wednesday 
Southwest Elementary will have a DARE graduation at 9 a. m. Park Vista 
Elementary will have its DARE graduation at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

McLendon said the graduations are for the ending of the first part of the 
DARE program this year. The second half of the program begins after the 
holidays. Other graduations will be held in the spring.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom