TRAVERSE CITY- The DARE program has moved well beyond its famous “just say no” slogan, shifting its focus to life skills, risk assessment and giving students the confidence to resist peer pressure.
The program, which once centered on drugs and alcohol education, now teaches fifth graders about risks and consequences, resistance strategies and includes role-playing exercises. Vaping has been added as a topic alongside traditional substance abuse education.
“We basically have to make those good choices, and how are we going to make them when we get into those tough situations?” Deputy Makenzie Kreiner said.
A key message of the updated curriculum: friends are often the source of peer pressure. Kreiner encourages students to evaluate whether they should continue spending time with friends who push them toward bad decisions.
One practical tip Kreiner offers is telling students they can blame their parents when they don’t want to go along with the crowd — saying something like, “My parents would be mad at me if I did this.”
“It’s okay not to fit in. Be yourself,” Kreiner tells students.
For final projects, students can choose from essays, posters, videos or slideshows. Each student picks three topics covered in the course, defines them and provides examples. Some students write out their examples, while others act them out.
This year’s winners included Olga, Ireland and Violet, who submitted a project. Each winner received a trophy.
Kreiner, who also works with younger students, said the program helps build trust between police and children.
“We’re not scary. We’re real people too. And what they see in the media isn’t always what we’re about,” Kreiner said.