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The Centralia Police Department and the Centralia School District have partnered to bring a D.A.R.E. education curriculum to Centralia students.
Students at Centralia High School will begin receiving the new D.A.R.E. program beginning March 17. D.A.R.E. stands for drug abuse resistance education.
D.A.R.E. places specially-trained law enforcement officers in classrooms who deliver science- and evidence-based curricula that teach students good decision-making skills that will help them lead safe and healthy lives, according to a news release from the Centralia Police Department.
While D.A.R.E. curricula address drugs, it also focuses on violence, bullying, internet safety and other high risk circumstances that could be a part of the daily life of students, according to the news release.
“When most of us hear about D.A.R.E., we think of a fifth grade program that teaches about drug abuse, but the new D.A.R.E. programs are so much more. In Centralia, we are using the high school D.A.R.E. curriculum that focuses on the importance of community, consequences, resisting pressure, and being active community members,” said Centralia Police Commander Andy Caldwell.
The curriculum is intended as a response to “a multitude of high risk circumstances including the temptation to use drugs and alcohol, violence, bullying, and internet safety, not to mention the fear of school violence,” faced by high school students around the country, according to the news release.
The program is also intended to help build positive community-police relations in Centralia.
“Today, every law enforcement agency in America is seeking ways to build positive community-police relations. Clearly, the issues and challenges are complex. While there is no single solution, D.A.R.E has incorporated features in its education programs which build trust and create positive relationships with students and parents, thereby developing and reinforcing community-based prevention and community- oriented policing with children and families,” stated the news release.
Launched in 1983, D.A.R.E. is a comprehensive K-12 education program taught in thousands of schools throughout America, as well as in 52 other countries, according to the news release.
For information on D.A.R.E. education programs, visit www.dare.org/education.
