Pubdate: Sat, 14 Feb 2004
Source: El Defensor Chieftain (NM)
Copyright: 2004 El Defensor Chieftain
Contact: http://www.dchieftain.com/site/feedback.html
Website: http://www.dchieftain.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2520
Feedback: http://www.dchieftain.com/site/feedback.html
Author: Pepita Ridgeway
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

SIXTH-GRADERS COMPLETE GREAT PROGRAM

All sixth-graders at Sarracino Middle School have completed a 13-week drug
and gang awareness course titled "Gang Resistance Education And Training."

Deputy Noah D. Jaramillo, of the Socorro Sheriff's Department, taught the
course. Jaramillo has taught similar courses in Socorro for seven years. He
taught Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) for the first five years, but
federal funding ran out. He then got funding for GREAT, which he's been
teaching for the past two years.

"We encourage kids to be leaders, not followers. There is more peer pressure
at middle school. We try to give them the tools to combat that," said
Jaramillo. Sixth-grader Savanna Smith said she learned not to do drugs and
not to hang around people who do drugs.

"Drugs are the focus of these courses," said Jaramillo. The students are
also taught how to stay away from gangs and violence. "The students also
learned how to make the community a better and safer place by staying gang
and drug free," he added.

Each student was rewarded with a GREAT certificate, and a graduation party
and dance was held at the middle school, where the students were served
pizza, cokes and cake, and prizes were given out during a dance contest.

"The dance was fun," said Smith. "I won some prizes too."

Jaramillo said he would like to thank Scott and Armando at Smiths for
donating the Cokes; Scott Woody at Video Shack for his donation; Councilor
Gary Jaramillo for providing the music; Smiley Decosta, at the city; and
Joseph Torres for his donation. 
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