SANTA BARBARA, CA – 06/02/2006 – The Santa Barbara Police Department is pleased to announce that the latest class of D.A.R.E. students graduated June 6th at the Arlington Theatre.  D.A.R.E. is an acronym for: Drug Abuse Resistance Education.  This bumper crop of over 400 sixth and fifth grade students (from 8 schools) joins rank with 16,600 others who have graduated since local inception in 1987.  Officer Anita Chamberlain personally educated all 440 students on the D.A.R.E. philosophy.  In addition to discussing the perils of drug use and violence, Officer Chamberlain teaches responsibility and how to make good choices.  Each student composed an essay explaining what they have learned.  The essays were judged and a winner selected from each class and school.

The following students were selected as school essay winners:

Roosevelt Elementary School:  Luke Ming

Washington Elementary School: Dana Sloan

McKinley Elementary School:  Jair Alexis Herrera

Monroe Elementary School:  Diana Tapia

Harding Elementary School:  Rocio Pacheco

Adams Elementary School:  Erika Cortes

Notre Dame School:  Kaitlin Neer

El Montecito Upper School: Libby Sestak

The Santa Barbara High School Jazz Band provides music to this free public event.  For those uncertain about the future of today’s youth, attending the one-hour D.A.R.E. graduation provides an uplifting glimpse that the future remains bright.

Comments

Leave a Reply