Local youngsters are learning the dangers of drugs and violence – and, vitally, how to avoid them – through the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program, aka D.A.R.E.
Fifth-grade students from Union County Elementary School and Woody Gap marked the completion of this year’s program in a special graduation held March 28 at the Fine Arts Center.
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Over the course of 18 weeks, kids learned about the effects of smoking, drinking, and drug use on the body, especially pertaining to the brain and lungs. These dangers can impact a body for life, as explained in a talk given by Union County Sheriff Shawn Dyer.
“One bad decision on drugs or alcohol and that kind of stuff can affect your life from now on. It will put you in a place that’s hard to get out of. Once you get in trouble, it’s hard to overcome that,” warned Dyer. “The best thing to do is not ever get involved.”
Dawn Sharp, Substance Prevention Program Coordinator for Union County Family Connection, also had a message for the graduates that day, introducing the soon-to-be sixth-graders to the UCMS P.A.W.S. Club, which stands for Peers Achieving Wisdom and Strength.
“We want you guys, when you walk across that field in 2032 … to be set up for success. It all starts now, today. When you leave here and you go to middle school, you’re going to be presented with many decisions, difficult decisions,” said Sharp, urging the students to make good choices.
UCHS senior athlete Houston Henry shared a positive message as a role model for the younger cohort, attesting to the importance of staying clean and caring for the body.
“As athletes, we know that our bodies are our most valuable tool, and how we treat them shapes our future,” advised Henry. “The decisions you make today can shape your future; that’s why it’s so important to think about things like what you put into your body and how you treat others.”
Speaking of socialization, another aspect of D.A.R.E.’s curriculum warns students where and how they might be offered illicit substances and subsequently teaches them healthy coping mechanisms to help manage life’s stressors.
Not only that, but to help cut back on those stressors, an important part of the D.A.R.E. Program is learning about bullying and how to recognize and stop it.
Students also write essays to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts learned through the program, and a winner is named for each class. One writer, however, is selected as the top winner of the essay contest, and this year, that honor went to young Rosie McKenzie.
McKenzie was asked to present her essay before the audience, which began with the sobering fact that there are 568,000 alcohol and tobacco-related deaths in the United States per year.
“Tobacco is already a dangerous substance, but when combined with alcohol, it is beyond fatal,” McKenzie read aloud, adding that the three main points she and her classmates learned through D.A.R.E. were managing physical health, mental health and overall wellness.
Some of the dangers of cigarette and alcohol consumption McKenzie outlined included various cancers, dental issues, coma and even brain damage. Despite legal measures taken to ensure substances are kept out of minors’ hands, more and more teens are dying from drug-related causes.
McKenzie concluded her essay by saying that she believes the D.A.R.E. Program sufficiently informed her about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and for her excellent work, she won a large stuffed D.A.R.E. lion and $100.
Blade Mull earned a D.A.R.E. Award for showing outstanding dedication to working through the program and supporting his peers. Mull accepted his certificate with a smile before posing for a quick photo with School Police Chief Scott Deyton and Assistant Police Chief Chris Jackson.
In all, 238 students graduated from the D.A.R.E. Program that day, illustrating a hope for a brighter future for the youth of Union County and beyond.
