The D.A.R.E. Program is a Drug and
Alcohol Prevention Program. It stands for Drug
Abuse Resistance
Education. It was developed in 1983 as a
cooperative effort of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los
Angeles Unified School District to prevent drug abuse among children and
youth.
While traditional programs focus on the harmful
effects of drugs, D.A.R.E. goes further by helping students recognize and
resist the many subtle pressures that influence them to experiment with
drugs, gangs and violence. In addition, program strategies are planned to
focus on the development of social competence, communication skills,
self-esteem, empathy, decision making, conflict resolution, sense of
purpose and independence, and positive alternative activities to drug
abuse and other destructive behaviors.
The program content for D.A.R.E. is organized into
seventeen 60 minute lessons to be taught by a law enforcement officer. It
also contains suggested extended activities to be integrated into other
instruction by the classroom teacher. A specially trained officer is
assigned to school several days a week for each semester to conduct weekly
lessons.
Currently, D.A.R.E. is taught by uniformed law
enforcement officials and sheriff's deputies in all 50 states and over two
dozen foreign countries.
Ten and eleven year olds are targeted because this
is the last year before they move to the middle school. As you can
imagine, the introduction of new educational processes, being on the
threshold of puberty, and wanting to exercise some independence can place
additional pressures upon them. Learning how to deal with these new
challenges and pressures is essential in attempting to divert students
from experimentation with drugs and alcohol.
The Derry Township Police Department and the Derry
Township School District started the drug education program
with the the D.A.R.E. Program
in 1992. Sgt. Roy Warlow was the first D.A.R.E. Officer
trained to conduct these classes followed by Officer Mary Kepple in
1995. By the end of this school year, over 1,350 5th and 7th grade
students of the Hershey Intermediate Elementary School will have graduated
from the program.
In January 1997, the D.A.R.E. program was expanded
to include 7th grade students from the Hershey Middle School. This program
was designed to help strengthen previously learned skills needed to resist
pressures to use alcohol and other drugs, reduce feelings of anger, and
avoid becoming involved in acts of violence. Topics of discussion include
the Juvenile Justice System, issues of concern to teenagers, and the
consequences of alcohol and other drug use.
Beginning the school year of 2000 - 2001 two additional Dare Officers were
added to the program. Officers Anthony Clements and Tom Pavone were newly
hired Police officers for Derry Township who had previous Dare certification
from the other department they came from. Beginning that year Officer
Clements taught both programs for 5th and 7th grade Dare programs. Officer Pavone
taught the 5th grade.
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