Special to Atmore News
Facing unparalleled drug abuse among youth in the 1970s and early 1980s, visionary Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates and the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1983 launched an unprecedented and innovative substance abuse prevention education program – Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)
With each passing year, D.A.R.E.’s success was seen in classrooms and homes, leading to rapid growth and expansion. As each decade passed and success increased, the challenges facing children and families also grew. Today, through the leadership of D.A.R.E.’s dedicated board of directors, and the tireless commitment and hard work of tens of thousands of officers and educators throughout America and around the globe, D.A.R.E strives each day to achieve its vital mission – to fulfill a vision.
The D.A.R.E. vision
“A world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance abuse, and other dangerous behaviors.”
Escambia County Middle School’s D.A.R.E. program is taught by Deputy Jeff Weaver. It is a 10-lesson, middle-school curriculum with highly interactive, multiple media materials that youth find engaging.
D.A.R.E. decision–making model
D – Define: Define the problem, challenge, or opportunity
A – Assess: What are your choices?
R – Respond: Make a Choice. Use the facts and information you have gathered.
E – Evaluate: Review your decision. Did you make a good choice?