Louise DARE students graduate anti-drug course
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com

Louise Elementary fifth graders sang, marched and gave speeches reaffirming their commitment to the DARE antidrug program during a DARE graduation ceremony last week.

Wearing matching white DARE T-shirts, the 35 graduates of the program promenaded into the LISD cafeteria, singing a DARE song.

"Seventeen years ago, I taught that song in music class," said Louise Elementary Principal Donna Kutac.

The graduates were welcomed by a packed house of family and other visitors and the entire Louise Elementary fourth grade class, which will go through the DARE program next year.

DARE Officer Jeff Andrejczak praised this year's class, who were taught the skills needed to resist drugs, gangs and violence.

Also receiving special recognition during the ceremony were Bianca Ochoa and Hunter Koudela. Ochoa was recognized for submitting the top essay while Koudela was the runner up. Ochoa read her paper and later Sheriff Jess Howell announced his intention to place a framed copy of the essay in the foyer of the Sheriff's Department office.

Ochoa's essay focused mostly on what she learned about cigarette smoking, but also touched upon the dangers of illegal drugs.

"I pledge to be drug free because I want to be healthy and stay out of trouble," she said. Howell also complimented the students for their participation and the LISD school board and Wharton County Commissioners Court for supporting DARE.

After singing two DARE songs - "1-2-3-F-R-E-E" and "DARE To Take A Stand" - the students stepped on stage one by one and were presented their certificates of graduation by a receiving line that included Howell, LISD Superintendent Andy Peters, County Commissioner Philip Miller and fifth-grade teachers Lori Heard and Kim Marek.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education, better known as DARE, is an international education program that seeks to prevent use of illegal drugs, membership in gangs and violent behavior.

DARE has expanded globally since its founding in 1983 by Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates. Students who enter the latest of over a dozen versions of the program sign a pledge not to use drugs or join gangs and are taught by local law enforcement about the dangers of drug use in a high-tech, interactive, 10-week in-school curriculum.

According to the DARE Web site, 36 million children around the world - 26 million in the U.S. - are part of the program.

The program is implemented in 80 percent of the nation's school districts, and 54 countries around the world.

At El Campo ISD, DARE is taught to all fifth graders by El Campo Police Officer Cindy Howell. The first-semester fifthgrade students from Northside Elementary have tours tomorrow to celebrate their completion of the program.

"Starting in the morning, they will tour the El Campo Police Department, El Campo Volunteer Fire Department and City Hall in two sessions, with three classes in each session," Howell said. "I think this semester I had about 120 kids from Northside. I'll teach the rest of the (Northside) classes next semester and St. Philip's DARE class will graduate this spring."

"We started having graduation tours and the kids seem to really enjoy that, and the teachers," Howell said.

"It, I think, made more of an impact than having a graduation at the school. This kind of gives them an idea of the reallife situations we talk about in class."