Dec 25, 2008 9:54 am US/Eastern
DARE's New Challenges In A New Era Dictate Changes
ELKTON, Md. (AP) ―
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For most 30-somethings, DARE falls in the same category as McGruff the Crime Dog and Smokey the Bear, which taught them in school about the dangers of drugs, crime, gangs and forest fires.
AP
For most 30-somethings, DARE falls in the same category as McGruff the Crime Dog and Smokey the Bear, which taught them in school about the dangers of drugs, crime, gangs and forest fires.
But for younger generations, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program does not just teach them about avoiding drugs and alcohol.
The 25-year-old program, which started in Los Angeles and came to Cecil County in 1992, now teaches youngsters how to access all problems and make the best decisions. For recent graduates of the program, DARE now means Define, Assess, Respond and Evaluate.
Sgt. Scott Adams of the Cecil County Sheriff's Office said the teaching formula has changed significantly over the years.
"We've changed the number of lessons from 17 to nine," Adams said. "We looked at what worked and what didn't work."
Although the DARE program continues to be taught over a weeklong period in schools, he said it doesn't work unless it is constantly reinforced.
"Kids nowadays are bombarded with so much to do," Adams said. "There are breakdowns of families and other things they are dealing with."
He said they not only have to think about physical consequences of their actions, but the health of themselves and others, social and legal consequences.
There are seven officers from the sheriff's office, North East and Elkton police departments who teach DARE. The lessons are then reinforced by the school's resource officer.
Lessons not only teach students about the dangers of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and inhalants, but discuss prescription drug abuse, peer pressure and other social problems in the community.
Deputy Jen Valle of the Cecil County Sheriff's Office asked sixth-graders at Cherry Hill Middle School to define an inhalant, discussed how common household items are sometimes used to get high and the dangers of using these products as drugs. Valle also held an open discussion earlier this month with students about their friends and peer pressure.
After the discussion, students complete work in their notebooks, then make a pledge and write a report to graduate from the program.
But the dangers of youth drug use don't end with graduation. Adams said Web sites like YouTube reinforce drug use.
"It's instant access for kids to watch videos that make it funny," he said. "And they (the students) see it on television and in movies."
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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