A very energetic and loud auditorium at Saint John High where 350 grade 5 students from city schools completed the D.A.R.E. program.
A rockstar welcome for the D.A.R.E. police officers. #daregrad pic.twitter.com/7DYFLrALL1
— Tamara Steele (@tamarasteele1) December 12, 2017
Drug Abuse Resistance Education aims to teach kids how to avoid getting caught up in drugs and alcohol and also puts a focus on building self-confidence.
Saint John police chief John Bates told the graduates they have a lot of new information in their heads but to let their hearts guide the choices they may make in the future.
Daren the Lion gets a warm welcome. pic.twitter.com/sPj3LuFZR4
— Tamara Steele (@tamarasteele1) December 12, 2017
Constable Cory Jamieson has been teaching the DARE program for 15 years.
We asked him if he ever runs into the any kids who took the program years later that found it helpful in their lives. He tells he had a student who was now a teenager hanging out with his buddies in the mall and as soon he saw him he came up and gave him a big hug.
Given severe cuts are coming to police services, We asked Cst. Jamieson if the DARE program will be around next year.
He says given the support for it shown by the police chief, the city and the school system, he prays that it will.
Getting their certificates. #daregrad2017 pic.twitter.com/LPR40M9DJe
— Tamara Steele (@tamarasteele1) December 12, 2017
