D.A.R.E.

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Website:  https://dare.org/

The DARE program curriculum was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles when their Police Chief, Daryl Gates, and school officials, collaborated to write a drug prevention program for youths. DARE has been taught in the New Boston Central School for a number of years through a cooperative arrangement between the school and the New Boston Police Department. The original curriculum was designed to be taught by a Police Officer to 5th or 6th grade students once a week for seventeen weeks. This structured program went through its first revision in 1994 to include a greater emphasis on violence and nicotine.  

In 2003, the DARE program was again revised, and the “core” 5th/6th grade program was reduced from seventeen to ten weeks. As part of the reduction in lessons at the core level, a follow up component was created at the 7th/8th grade level. The 7th/8th grade program being integrally related to the 5th /6th grade program, and is also taught once a week for ten weeks. Also unveiled as part of the 2003 revision was the D.AR.E. Decision Making Model. This model being one students can use during their daily lives as well as during the DARE program. The decision making steps being:

D-Define, A-Assess (your choices), R-Respond, E-Evaluate.

In 2013, the DARE program was again revised with a theme of “Keeping it Real”. This theme teaches communication and life skills through the effective “kid through kid to kids” narrative approach. It also prevents drug use by developing the basic or core skills needed to make safe and responsible choices. These skills extend beyond drugs to health and mature choices in life. By developing core academic and life skills, the curriculum furthers both educational and prevention goals.

New Boston students, participating in the 6th grade program, receive instruction in:

  • Responsibility & Decision Making
  • Drug Information (Tobacco and Alcohol)
  • Risks and Consequences
  • Peer Pressure
  • Stress
  • Confident Communication & Effective Listening
  • Non-Verbal Communication
  • Bullying
  • Helping Others
  • Getting Help (Identifying Help Networks)

This new theme continues many of the strengths of previous DARE versions while providing a framework to improve our effectiveness in encouraging students to lead safe, responsible, and drug free lives.

More than 100 million youths, worldwide, are estimated to have successfully completed the DARE program.

It is important to understand that the DARE program is designed to supplement the instruction our children receive at school and at home. It is not designed to be the sole solution or "cure all" for the nation's drug problem. However, it is an important step in a process of drug prevention education that must include parents, schools, churches, media, and our elected officials.

If you would like additional information on the New Boston DARE program, please feel free to contact our DARE Officer, Sergeant Stephen C. Case.

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