Pubdate: Fri, 31 Dec 2004
Source: Waynesville Daily Guide (MO)
Contact:  Waynesville Daily Guide 2005
Website: http://www.waynesvilledailyguide.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3638
Author: Darrell Todd Maurina
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)

COUNTY'S SMALLEST SCHOOL GETS DARE, COURTESY OF MILLER COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPUTY

With only 53 students, the Swedeborg R-II School District is too small
to have a high school, but this year it was able to offer Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (DARE) program.

"This was the first time we had DARE in many, many years," said
district administrator George Lauritson. "We are going to do it every
other year because we have fifth and sixth grades combined."

Swedeborg doesn't have its own police department, so Lauritson first
sought help from Pulaski County Sheriff J.T. Roberts. Pulaski County
doesn't have a certified DARE officer, but Roberts said he didn't mind
if Lauritson could find assistance elsewhere.

That help came from Miller County, where Deputy Bill Depew agreed to
come free of charge on a 60-mile round trip to Swedeborg for the
nine-week program.

"I jumped at the chance to help anyone that would like to have the
DARE program and doesn't have the benefit of it now," Depew said. "I
think DARE is one of the best tools we have telling kids how bad drugs
are for you."

"If I have the opportunity to tell kids about it, that's what I want,"
DePew said.

Depew said he's helped out with DARE in Crocker and Dixon in previous
years, but at present Swedeborg is the only school he's helping
outside Miller County.

Lauritson said he was glad to be able to offer DARE.

"The whole program was really great, a lot of interaction and a lot of
questions, and they learned a lot of information about how to say no
to peer pressure," Lauritson said.

Waynesville superintendent Ed Musgrove said Swedeborg's problem is
common in smaller districts.

"Trying to get the program in some of our rural schools has been very
hard because they just don't have the law enforcement manpower
available to help with it," Musgrove said.

Waynesville will hold its own DARE program in the spring semester.
Musgrove said the elementary schools on post use DARE officers from
Fort Leonard Wood and East Elementary uses state troopers.

"We've had enough highway patrol officers who are parents at East
Elementary that it has been very convenient for them," Musgrove said.
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MAP posted-by: Derek