Officer presents drug resistance program at Rhema
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
Every year the Grade 6 students at Rhema Christian School learn about drugs and alcohol and how to resist them. Constable Greg White, a youth services worker with the Ontario Provincial Police for Peterborough County visits the school to offer the multi-week drug resistance program.

“It’s a proactive type of program,” says White. “We need to reach these kids before they get to the point in their lives where they have to make these important decisions.”

White begins by teaching the students about drugs, what they look like, what they are and what they do.

“We talk a lot about social needs, why kids would do things they know are really bad for them, about the power of belonging.”

After providing some basic information, White goes through the decision making process. He shows kids “how to organize their thoughts and think through important decisions, bearing in mind different choices and the consequences of those choices.”

He then discusses follow-through: how to make a choice and then follow through with it effectively.

“We emphasize being able to say no to a friend, but still being friends with them. We say you don’t necessarily have to ostracize yourself from everybody when you say no.”

White notes that it’s important to get to the kids before they’re faced with choices regarding drugs and alcohol – both for themselves and the justice system. He says once youth reach the point where the police are dealing with them they have already made so many bad choices it can often be hard to get them back on track.

“If you think about it, it’s better for us to talk to the kids before they make those choices, so they start off down the right path and not the wrong one.”

White says the students at Rhema have been very responsive to the program. “I like teaching it there,” he says. “It’s fun, they’re very curious, they participate well, but they’re very respectful to guest speakers in their school.”

The drug resistance program White offers is called Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) It was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has since been implemented at schools in more than 43 different countries. The objective is to give kids the skills they need to live lives free of gangs, drugs and violence.

White notes that he has had a lot of support from the principal and teachers as well.

“I sit down with Principal Ray (Hendriks) two or three times a year and tell him the things we’re doing here at the D.A.R.E office. He talks about the needs of the school he sees, what he would like to see us do. It’s a very positive relationship.”

Paul Voskamp, Grade 6 teacher, says his students really enjoy having White in. The sessions are interactive and White relates well to the students.

“The kids just love him,” says Voskamp. “They get excited about having him here.”

White presents the D.A.R.E. program at all elementary and secondary schools in Peterborough County. The program is offered to Grade 6 and Grade 9 students.