Pubdate: Wed, 08 Nov 2006
Source: Okotoks Western Wheel (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006, Okotoks Western Wheel
Contact:  http://www.westernwheel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1638
Author: Dave Dormer, Staff reporter

EDUCATION - DARE SEEKING BIG JUMP IN FUNDING

The DARE Works Society Asked the Foothills School Division for a 30 
Per Cent Bump in Funding at Last Week's Meeting, to Cover Increased 
Costs Associated With the Program.

Executive director Laurie McCreary-Burke said DARE is asking each of 
its stakeholders for a 30 per cent increase, which also includes the 
towns of Okotoks (which gives $7,200 a year), Black Diamond ($2,400), 
Turner Valley ($2,400) and High River ($7,200) as well as the 
Municipal District of Foothills ($12,000).

The local school board currently allocates $24,000 a year, which 
would jump to $31,000 with the increase. The money pays for one, 
full-time RCMP officer to run the DARE program. "If we don't get the 
increase we'll just have to fundraise more," said McCreary-Burke.

Short for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, DARE began in Los Angeles 
in the early 1980s and is now offered in 56 countries worldwide. The 
program teaches children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and 
the importance of making positive life choices.

Locally, the 10-week program is offered to 10 classes at six schools, 
including students in Grades 6 and 8.

"It's challenging kids to resist drugs, alcohol, tobacco and 
violence," said Greg Diebolt, a retired RCMP officer who teaches the 
Grade 6 level. "The acronym doesn't really do it justice in my 
opinion because we end up talking to the kids about peer pressure. 
Good pressure and bad peer pressure and good decision making."

Cst. Geoff Carpenter, who has run DARE locally for the past seven 
years, said the program works.

"The advantage we see is that we're actively engaging the youth which 
hopefully will lead to more positive interaction," said Carpenter. 
"That will hopefully lead to them making more positive choices. For 
example, if one of their friends chooses to do graffiti, hopefully 
they'll say, 'wait a minute, that's destroying property, I don't want 
to be part of this.'"

Currently based in Okotoks, McCreary-Burke added they are considering 
asking the Town of High River to relocate the DARE officer there.

Once the census comes out in a two or three months, she explained, 
the cost-sharing for RCMP between Okotoks and the federal government 
will go from a 70-30 split to a 90-10 split.

School division secretary-treasurer Drew Chipman said the board has 
not yet made a decision on whether to increase the program's funding 
and he expects the issue will be debated at a future meeting.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine