Innisfail Middle School gymnasium was home to 130 DARE program graduates and their proud families on Jan.14.
RCMP Const. Chris Lavery along with Mayor Brian Spiller, Diane MacKay - Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools trustee, and Kerry Towle, Wildrose Sylvan Lake-Innisfail MLA, presented an enthusiastic group of Grade 5 students DARE certificates, a DARE shield, a DARE T-shirt, and a gift from the Province of Alberta in front of proud parents and grandparents from Innisfail Middle School and St. Marguerite Bourgeoys School.
ìOver a period of 10 weeksÖî said Lavery, ìÖI taught the Grade 5 students the basic facts about drugs and alcohol, as well as a decision making model based on the acronym DARE.î
DARE stands for Drug Awareness Resistance Education, but Lavery redefined it as Define, Assess, Respond and Evaluate. He went on to say that good decision-making based on this model will help them as they grow up and face new challenges.
Janette Charlton, mother of Innisfail Middle School Grade 5 student Connor, praised the program.
ìI was surprised at how much Connor brought home from DARE,î added Charlton. ìConnor would talk to my husband and I about what he had learned and then tell us what not to do and why. I really appreciated Const. Lavery and his willingness to come into the community and teach this. Kids don't need to be afraid of the RCMP, and this reinforces that.î
Lavery said he was proud of the work the students did on the DARE assignments. ìThey worked very hard and if they apply what we talked about, they will have a bright future,î said Lavery.
He presented Darren the DARE Lion to four winners of the best essays in each Grade 5.
Other dignitaries attending the ceremony included Ryan Sawula, principal, and Kelly Jacobson, assistant principal, of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys School, and Narsh Ramrattan, vice-principal of Innisfail Jr./Sr. High School.
