Keepin’ It R.E.A.L.

D.A.R.E. graduation expands from two to four schools in second year

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 4/14/17

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Once again, a student from Magnolia School has been named the grand prize winner for the annual D.A.R.E. essay contest, presented at the 2nd Annual Baldwin County …

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Keepin’ It R.E.A.L.

D.A.R.E. graduation expands from two to four schools in second year

Posted

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Once again, a student from Magnolia School has been named the grand prize winner for the annual D.A.R.E. essay contest, presented at the 2nd Annual Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office D.A.R.E. Culmination program Friday, April 7 at the Baldwin County Coliseum in Robertsdale.
Madison Moore, a student at Magnolia School, was named this year’s grand prize winner.
Classroom winners were awarded prizes during the ceremony, which also including handing out certificates to all participants in the program. Classroom winners were presented by Greg Peterson of WPMI Local 15 Non-stop News.
Classroom winners were: Gavin Shofner, Tatyana Gandy, DeLaney Benton Daijsha Johnson, Mariah Crook, Kyra Cornwell, Jasmin Arellano, Madison Moore, Kaliese Sledge, Kambell Kennell, Zoie Clemmons.
Along with additional prizes, Moore had her essay read at Thursday’s ceremony by Fox 10 News Anchor Lenise Legon.

In addition, Deputy David Tetreau, D.A.R.E. Program coordinator for Baldwin County, received an award of his own during the ceremony, the 2016-17 D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year award, presented by Sgt. Robin Snider with the Daphne Police Department, Alabama State D.A.R.E. coordinator.
“He thinks he is going to be presenting an award (to Snider), when in fact we are going to be presenting him with an award,” said Cpl. Jeff Spaller, coordinator for the BCSO’s school resource program. “He has done so much in such a short time for this program and he deserves this recognition.”
D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation’s school districts. Since its inception, more than 50,000 officers in more than 52 countries around the world have been trained to become D.A.R.E. officers.
Baldwin County’s program started in 2015 with a pair of pilot programs, at Swift School and Magnolia School, with just over 150 students, and has now expanded to include close to 235 students with the addition of Delta Elementary and Pine Grove schools in north Baldwin County.
D.A.R.E. is a community-oriented police program. It allows police officers to partner with school staff to work toward keeping young people from using illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
The “Keepin’ It R.E.A.L. Curriculum” is a multicultural, school-based substance use prevention program for students 10-14 years old. “Keepin’ it R.E.A.L.” uses a 10-lesson curriculum taught by trained officers in 45-minute sessions over 10 weeks, with booster sessions delivered in the following school year.
The curriculum is designed to help students assess the risks associated with substance abuse, enhance decision making and resistance strategies, improve anti-drug normative beliefs and attitudes, and reduce substance use.
The narrative and performance-based curriculum draws from communication competence theory and a culturally grounded resiliency model to incorporate traditional ethnic values and practices that protect against substance use.
The curriculum places special emphasis on resistance strategies represented in the acronym REAL: Refuse offers to use substances, Explain why you do not want to use substances, Avoid situations in which substances are used, and Leave situations in which substances are used.
The goals of the D.A.R.E. program are to lower alcohol, marijuana and cigarette use and to lower expectations of positive consequences of substance use.
D.A.R.E. is a teaching program designed toward fifth graders, also conducting parent outreach programs and supplemental lessons the following school year.
Guest speaker for the April 7 graduation was Baldwin County District Attorney Bob Wilters.
“You kids have helped me restore my faith in the future of our youth,” Wilters said. “I have spent a good portion of my career dealing with bad kids and it is nice to be able to interact with good kids who are doing the right thing. Making bad choices now can negatively impact your future and I want to challenge each and every one of you to continue making good choices.”
Lunch was provided by Dan Navarro and the culinary students at South Baldwin Center for Technology. The Star Spangled Banner was led by Baldwin County High School student Jayda Cox. Prayer was presented by BCSO chaplains Joe Aldrete and Mel Hacker. Entertainment was provided by DJ Tim Brown.

Program graduates included:
Magnolia School: Refugio Alvarez, Jordan Avera, Weston Ballard, Camryn Elizabeth Bedgood, Keagon Derrick Bowers, Ethan Jacob Bridges, Rianne Rinnel Brown, Savannah Lynn Brown, Braydon Scott Burrow, Jeremy Lee Bush, Juan Carlos Campos, Hannah Arianna Caples, Lucas Anthony Chiribao, Madelyn Mildred Christopher, Zoie Lynn Clemmons, Vaniyah Latrice Cleveland, Hailey Coate, Kyra Rose Cornwell, Caylea Ray Courtright, Heidi Guadalupe Cruz-Figueroa, Shanel Jakavia Curry, Marshall Wright Dyson, Natalee Owen Egbert, Joshua Daniel Eib, Christopher Michael Farrell Destria Jr. Daisha Figueroa-De La Cruz, Nikxiriany Figueroa-Mayo, Ashley Flores, Jasmin Ford, Trinity Renee Fowler, Madalyn Grace Freas, Isabella Anne Gamez, Abel Alejandro Gumapas, Jazmyne Marie Hall, Jacob Bryant Hansen, Darren Lee Harrison, Aryanna Alexis Hinman, Kaylee Cierra Hoskins, Kennedy Simone Hutson, Jenesis Leigh James Coley, Ja'Qarius Da'Shun Jarmon, Evan Lloyd Jay, Damien Bishop Jemison, Larry Cayden Jerkins, Carlos Jr Johnson, Jayden Jones, Arnez Curtris-Laneir Jones, Percy Jerome Jones, Vivian Tonyia Nicole Keil, Shamya Latrice Kellams, McKenzie Claire Kennell, Kambell Cathryn King, Emily Michelle Langham, Hannah Grace Langston, Will Thomas Lee, Lena Ann Lemus, Vanessa Look, Emma Monet Marcella, Aiden James Matthews, Katelin Ruth McCraney, Brayden Troy Miller, Bella Victoria Moore, Madison Jade Moreno, Eduardo Moyer, Rachel Nicole Muir, Cayden James Owens, Aidan Luke Packer, Justus Matthias Peavy, Hayden Lamar Pelot, Lillian Peters, Matthew Polk, Kaitlynn Potter, Hannah Prim, Angel Pritchett, Amelia Purdie, Andre Quinley, William Renfrow, Ethan Roberts, Shelby Lynn Robinson, Edward Steven Russell, Elise Grace Salter, Kaitlynne Ryleigh Schepker, Samuel Kaiser Sebastian, Claudia Sheets, Hailey Jade Sherman, Brooklyn Faith Sherman, Marlee Lynn Simmons, Kyle Jacob Singletary, Sara Rose Sledge, Kaliese Gabrielle Thomas, Chelsey Varela, Baylie Vecsey, Hallie Nowell Villanueva, Melani Paola Watson, Thomas Evan Williams, Jakayla Chantel Wilson, Alisha Brooke Young, Dawson Brice.

Swift School: Kiya Shay Allums, Alexsha Jasmin Arellano-Barrera, Cooper Lee Baker, Rosa May Barnes, Westin Anthony Bein-Garrett, Brach Walker Brunson, Caleb Michael Carter, Gissela Alejandra Castro-Ramirez, Allie Elizabeth Clayton, Mario Corona-Morales, Brandon Cole Fitzpatrick, Joselyn Marie Fitzpatrick, Bailey Anne Forest, Carlos Alberto Guzman-Morales, Melanie Abigail Hernandez, Jayda Raeanne Hill, Dillon Lee Clifton James, Daijsha Sole Johnson, Jashua Isaac Martinez Orellana, Jairo Javier Mercado-Arellano, Calisa Lynn Miller, Hunter John Miller, Hector Miguel Monge, Suezanna Miracle Pollard, Trey Vincent Ranna, Charles Eric Reed, Jasmine Catherine Reed, Abigail Sue Nicole Salter, Briana Paige Sawyer, Malakai Javier Sigrist, Mason Gregory Silva, Baylee Christian Simpson, Landon Alexander Siniard, Gabrielle Kathryn Smith, Isabella N. Smith, Jacob Alexander Soto, Jackeline Valenzuela, Cade Alexander Wittman.

Delta Elementary: Randall William Allen, Madison Ella Anderson, Te’Marcus Malik Armstead, Jacob Rian Beaver, Tra'Della Monyae Bradley, Jameia Raquel Brooks, Phillip Drake Brown, Dominikk James-Marston Collins, Ruby Anne Day, Colby Shane Duboise, Wendy Melany Garcia-Rodriquez, Caleb Shane Gardner, Derrell Landon Hadley, Chloey Gizelle Heaton, Devon Dewayne Houston, Elias Brock Johnson, Jessica Lynn Little, Ryan Lane Loper, Sara Lillian Munson, Danielle Meghan Murphy, Tyler Jordan Musgrove, Drace Jameson Nelson, Matalynn Louise Padgett, James David Phillips, Hannah Elizabeth Robinson, Gavin Lane Shofner, Robbianna Willow Sims, Kensley Danielle Smith, Aaron Ray Sprinkle, Kyra Danielle Vinson, Joshua Ray Wright.

Pine Grove Elementary: Xavier Quinta Anderson, Anyah Jaquala Andrews, Damorien Jamal Andrews, Kumoni La Shae May Baker, Omare Paijion Mcclain Baker, Naomi Alaydria Banks, Billie Delaney Benton, Kc Jamon Betts, Treynel Ju'nique Bogan, Antonio O’Brian Brown, Quintaiva Vaniy'Antionette Brown, Tanner Lee Carnley, Jackson Aaron Cassady, Haylee Jo Clark, Emily Diane Collins, Terrance Lorenza Cooper, Kylie Samara Cozart, Laniah Denise Crook, Mariah Renee Crook, Jamarius O’Neal Easterling, Daniela Lisette Ferretiz, Tyquan Tiquais French, LaDeshica Dominica Gaiters, Tatyana Janae Gandy, Emma Rylee Girby, Mariah Sherese Gray, Ayden Lane Hines, Tyler Andrew Jackson, Hunter Keith Janes, Whitney Carlitta Jernigan, Bobby Dwayne Isaiah Killings, Derrick Dewayne McCall Jr., Adrian Dale McCall, Derricca Delexus McCall, Brodie Kyle McKenzie, Artavius Caine McReynolds, Kelly John-G Moorer, Billy Steven Myers, Kendreas Montez Nelson, Shelby Lynn Newton-Morgan, Denene Elise Nicholas, Haven Virginia Reid, Brianna Lynn Sassao, Kaleigh Marie Seale, Jayla Lynn Shipp, Thad Clanton Skelton, Kyle Tayshune Taylor, Sandra Lee Turner, Xavier Turner, Braxton Taylor Tuttle, Christian Alia Vickrey, Tyler Lavon Wallace, Aaron Kaden Wasden, Colton Austin Whatley, Dalton Rufus White,\ DeAnte Javon White, William Luke Wiggins, Kerrigan Delayni Williamson.