Sixteen Grade 4/5 students of kihiw Waciston School on Muskeg Lake Cree Nation marched into the gymnasium Dec. 7 for their Drug Awareness Resistance Education ( DARE) program graduation.
Cst. Nicole Zdimalova of the Blaine Lake RCMP Detachment co-ordinated the program with co-operation from Grade 4/5 teacher Beth Gardipy and funding assistance from Marlene Lafond of the Justice Department.
DARE is a unique comprehensive prevention education program designed to provide youth with the necessary skills to recognize and resist social pressures that lead to experimentation with tobacco, alcohol, drugs and violence.
The 10-week course addresses topics such as dangers of tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse; developing assertiveness and self-confidence; and decision-making skills.
The parents and elders of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation community strongly support the D.A.R.E program. The program is a great instrument used to teach the youth about the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol, important life skills and to provide the youth with the tools to make positive lifestyle choices.
The BL RCMP Detachment demonstrated, with its involvement, its proactive approach to policing. By supporting this initiative, it encourages the students to make good lifestyle choices. The importance of targeting the Grade 4-6 student level is to prepare the students for entry into junior and senior high schools where they are most likely to encounter pressure to drugs, alcohol and violence.
Completing the program was Nicholas Arcand, Ethan Bear, Max Gardipy, Daylen Longneck-Durocher, Victoria Stoney, Jade Arcand, Tristan Daniels-Ledoux, Jade Gardipy, Taylor Lafond, Jocelin Little, Daniel Mercredi, Tristan Sanderson, Jenna Tawpisin, Trinity Tawpisin, Cameron Wolfe and Devon Wolfe.
