D.A.R.E.—Drug Abuse Resistance Education is a preventative program originally developed in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department. D.A.R.E. is a combined effort of local schools and law enforcement agencies. Over 4,500 agencies in all 50 states and 7 countries have adopted this program to help combat drug abuse in their communities. The program has recently undergone a revamp of the curriculum designed to help children become better decision makers through the 9-week course. Each year D.A.R.E. elementary curriculum is taught to over 5.5 million children in over 250,000 classrooms. There are over 16,000 police officers certified to teach D.A.R.E. throughout the United States and the world. The D.A.R.E. program is now the largest and most successful drug prevention program in the United States. In a recent Gallup survey of students who have completed the D.A.R.E. program, more than 90% believe the D.A.R.E. program provided them with skills to avoid drugs and alcohol.
D.A.R.E. is a new approach to educating young people. Based on recent research, the traditional tactics that preach the harm of drugs are de-emphasized. Kids don't want to be told what not to do. Teens, instead, want to act grown-up. Many of them think smoking, drinking and using exotic drugs are their passport to adulthood. So, D.A.R.E. tries to teach students what being grown-up really means not giving in to peer pressure, making your own decisions and learning to cope with life's problems in positive ways.
The D.A.R.E. program has been with the Sheriff’s Department for over 15 years starting in 1990. The Sheriff’s Department is currently teaching full-time at Harrisburg School District, Sturgeon School District, Hallsville School District, Rock Bridge Elementary, Midway Elementary, Cedar Ridge Elementary and Two-Mile Prairie Elementary.
The Boone County Sheriff’s department D.A.R.E. program has the support of the Boone County Commission, and the School Districts within Boone County. Some funding comes through donations from the following organizations, VFW Post #280 Ladies Auxiliary, Cosmo Club, PTA and PTO orginazations in the schools.
Like any education program, no matter how good the curriculum is the parents are the key to any education program. For D.A.R.E. to be successful the skills that are taught by the instructors should be followed up by the parents/guardians. For any program to be successful involvement is the key factor.
"I'm glad we got to experience D.A.R.E. I loved it. D.A.R.E. taught me how to say no."
