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D.A.R.E. to Be Different
Description
You may have heard about the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, better known as D.A.R.E., but do you know what the program really does for kids in our schools these days?
In this episode of the Supercast, we talk to West Jordan Police about bringing D.A.R.E. back, how it is impacting young lives and proving to students that police are more than emergency first-responders. They are our friends as well.
Audio Transcription
Superintendent:
Welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. Today we look inside the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, better known to most parents and students as DARE. It is a program that has evolved over the years, empowering students to respect themselves and others, to make healthy choices in life and to rely on something called "their helping it work". First let's head over to Terra Linda Elementary school, where West Jordan police just finished a DARE graduation ceremony, and we had the opportunity to speak with some graduates. So tell me your name.
Student:
My name's Nancy Ali.
Superintendent:
What grade are you in?
Student:
Fifth.
Superintendent:
And you just completed the DARE program here at Terra Linda Elementary. What did you think of it?
Student:
I thought it was really fun. And especially since I won the DARE essay.
Superintendent:
Yeah, we got to hear your essay. That was really awesome. Tell us some of what you read to the audience.
Student
I wrote to them about bullying and about how we shouldn't do drugs and what drugs can do to you. I told them we should all be just be friends and be kind to each other. And I told them about how happy I was with this DARE program and that Officer Kim was there to support us and let us have this big opportunity today.
Superintendent:
Tell us about Officer Kim. What she liked?
Student:
Officer Kim is a really happy lady. She's never quiet or scared to do anything or say anything. She's always positive and she helps us out a lot. She makes us happy and she gives us stickers, high fives and hugs.
Superintendent:
That's a really good combination. Is she someone that you look up to?
Student:
Officer Kim's one of my heroes.
Superintendent:
That's really cool. Tell me about the help network. I saw drawings at the back of the room and the big banner. What does that mean?
Student:
So the help network is someone that matters to you and who's always there for you. Someone who just cares about you and they can get help with. I picked my two best friends. Their names are Millie and Bryn. Bryn is just a girl that's really positive is not scared. She's tough and she stands up for herself. Millie's just a funny dork and she likes to exercise a lot and get her energy out. And then I'm just the one that gets scared a lot.
Superintendent:
So it's nice to have friends and Officer Kim who help teach you to kind of stand up for yourself and be yourself.
Student:
Officer Kim is a good officer. And also, I also wanted to thank my teacher, Mr. Pascoe, and our other teachers, Ms. Snowball, Mr. Barber and Mr. Grinch and everyone that's in my class and almost everyone that's in my grade and everyone who was here today.
Superintendent:
I've seen some of your teachers in action. I know some of them over the years and they really are great teachers in this grade.
Student:
Yeah.
Superintendent:
Okay. Thanks very much for talking with us. Have a great day.
Another DARE graduation was held at Mountain Shadows Elementary school. That's where we caught up with Sergeant Jay.
Officer:
Yeah. We are excited. We've revitalized the DARE program here within West Jordan. We have 17 elementary schools in West Jordan city, which is a hu