Pubdate: Tue, 06 Mar 2007
Source: Peace River Record-Gazette (CN AB)
Copyright: 2007 Peace River Record-Gazette
Contact:  http://www.prrecordgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1232
Author: Kristjanna Grimmel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

RCMP PROACTIVE IN YOUTH DRUG PREVENTION

Proud parents, children and community representatives packed Good
Shepherd school for the annual DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
graduation. Many offered a personal perspective on why children should
be informed about drugs, alcohol and peer pressure.

Const. Shelly Patreau and Const. Chris Hrynyk, who led the fifth grade
students in weekly DARE classes, thanked the youth for their hard work.

"These kids have shown us they have made a commitment," said
Hrynyk.

Students Carmen Whitehead, Madison Roy and Jon Sobchyshyn received
prizes for their top essays on drug awareness; Legend Grey, Katie
Barker and Austin Farrow were runners-up.

The two officers stood proud amid the rows of beaming parents and
fifth graders wearing black t-shirts with the DARE insignia. They were
joined by Cheryl Fitchie, parent-school association president, Town
Coun. Iris Callioux, Mayor Lorne Mann, Corp. Mark Potts and Staff Sgt.
John Haney.

Fitchie offered a poignant tale of how a youth close to Fitchie's
family was forced to leave Peace River for drug rehabilitation. She
said she realized drugs impacted the community as a whole.

"It really came home to my husband and I that this isn't someone
else's kid, this isn't the kid who always gets into trouble. These are
good kids with good families."

Patreau and Hrynyk teach the recently-expanded DARE program to Grade 5
students in all area schools including TA Norris and Ecole des Quatre
Vents. The program aims to equip students with knowledge and tools to
resist peer pressure, drugs, alcohol and tobbaco.

Hrynyk said DARE is especially crucial today: as an RCMP officer, he
sees kids as young as 11 involved in the local drug scene. The stats
confirm that young teens are experimenting: 4,416 youth under age 18
visited the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Commission for help with
addictions in 2005 and 2006. While only one per cent were age 11 or
under, 49 per cent fit within the 12-15 age bracket.

"I've seen many kids change until you can't recognize them because of
drugs," Hrynyk told the audience.

Hrynyk feels the 10-11 age bracket is ideal, as DARE prepares them for
situations they will encounter in junior high. In turn, kids have an
extra year in elementary school to provide mentorship to younger students.

"I find that they're able to provide a leadership role. Students look
up to them, and we want them to have a good, solid backing."

Some DARE graduates have returned to tell him they said no to drugs,
he said. Many more feel comfortable approaching him as a police officer.

"Now, when we go to high school basketball games or the movies, I'll
run into former students and they remember me, there's that
relationship there."

However, Hrynyk stressed that the program is not about quantitative
results.

"If there's one kid in this grade that we help, then that's enough."
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MAP posted-by: Derek