KEARNEY — For the first time in 14 years, a DARE class was taught in Kearney Public Schools and the first graduates were fifth graders from Emerson Elementary. A graduation ceremony was held on Monday, Oct. 30.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE., is an education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior.
It was founded in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1983 as a joint initiative between the Los Angeles Police Department and the city’s Unified School District.
The instructor for Kearney’s first DARE class since 2009 was Kearney Police Department’s School Resource Officer (SRO) Boyd Weller, who has been with KPD for nearly 19 years.
Weller started the graduation ceremony by thanking Emerson Elementary Principal Meredith Johnson, Assistant Principal Sarah Hawthorne, fifth grade teachers Kelly Pocock and Kirk McLeod and student teacher Tyler Jensen.
“Without the teacher’s willingness to adjust their classrooms schedules, I would not have had the opportunity to get to know the amazing fifth grade students at Emerson Elementary this year,” Weller said.
The DARE mission is teaching students decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives and the DARE vision is a world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance abuse and other dangerous behaviors, said Weller.
These were the first two classes that Weller has ever held instructing DARE and he said, “I could not be happier with how they turned out.”
He also said that he has gained an even greater respect for teachers and shot a look at the crowd which drew laughs.
“I have had the opportunity over the last 10 weeks to get to know my students at Emerson Elementary and through the DARE curriculum, provide them with knowledge, skills and strategies to live safe and healthy lives,” said Weller, “I say my students because they will forever be my students, as I will forever be their DARE officer.”
Weller said it is his hope that every student in the community knows that they can contact any law enforcement or educational professional and know that these are trusted adults that care about them.
DARE is known well for teaching students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, but Weller said he also told the students about the importance of making responsible and safe decisions.
“We talked about being a good citizen, helping others and knowing what it means to show empathy. It was also very important for me to tell my students that if you are going to report something, do it in a way that keeps you or others safe,” Weller said.
Guest speakers were then introduced, the first being KPD Chief Bryan Waugh.
Chief Waugh said it has been 14 years since DARE was presented in Kearney Public Schools (KPS) and he said it would not have been possible without the partnership between KPS and KPD.
Waugh said Weller was a new SRO at the time, but quickly volunteered to present the DARE program.
Looking around the room, Waugh said he saw police officers, school board members, teachers, administrators, parents, etc. He said programs like DARE help to build relationships between everyone.
Waugh said he wants the students to remember what they learned through DARE and to share those lessons with their friends.
“This will grow more, more and more throughout Kearney, we are going to make a difference,” Waugh said.
The next speaker was Kearney Mayor Stan Clouse.
Clouse asked the students to look around the room and see who was present. “Every person in this room took time to come here and spend time with you…I am really proud of you and what you have accomplished.”
“On behalf of all the citizens in our community, congratulations. Keep making good decisions,” Clouse concluded.
KPS Superintendent Jason Mundorf also spoke and said the district has a great relationship with KPD.
Mundorf said that parents and guardians may be wondering why DARE has been absent from KPS for the past 14 years. He said the program is not short and is not simply completed in a few days.
To coordinate between all the school buildings, the teacher schedules and what must be accomplished in class, Mundorf said it can be difficult, but KPS is dedicated to bringing DARE to all the elementary buildings across the district.
“We want you to make the right decisions, we want you to grow up and be the citizens and adults that we, your parents and you want to be,” Mundorf said, “Thank you for being the first class, you represented Emerson Elementary well.”
The fifth-grade students had all been asked to write an essay about what they have learned in DARE, how they have used the DARE decision model and how they plan to use what they have learned.
Four students, Aspen Schamp, Brian Walters, AnnaBeth Alvarez and Ezekiel Harrison, were selected to read their essays to the crowd.
After the readings, each student was called forward to receive their DARE certificate from Weller.
At the end of the ceremony, Principal Meredith Johnson presented Weller with an Emerson Eagles T-shirt, saying that he would always be considered an Eagle for his work through the DARE program.
“We appreciate Weller’s effort and willingness to get to know our students. He has had a positive impact on the students during his time at Emerson, with the lessons he taught and with the relationships he started. We have been honored to be a part of bringing DARE back to Kearney Public Schools,” Emerson Elementary staff stated.
