Sarissa L.

     I think D.A.R.E. was fun.  I always looked forward to that class in the morning.  All of the skills that we learned are very important.  They are; how to get out of tough situations, making good choices, and staying in charge of your life.

     We talked about staying in charge of our life, how to answer people, and not to take anger out on someone else.  We did little skits about how to answer some of the difficult questions asked by students that want you to do things you don't want to do.  This skill is important for when you are in those situations to answer respectfully, responsibly and realistically.

     The three R's are respectful, responsible, and realistic.  Some people ask you to do things you don't want to do, you need to give them your answer with the three "R's".  For the respectful part you need to make sure you don't insult them by saying things like, they are stupid and other mean things.  Being responsible is when you do the things that make the most sense to you.

     The skills that I spoke of in my paper can help me and other people to make good choices and stay healthy.

     The pledge I make is to be careful about the choices I make and to not do drugs and tobacco.

Robbie P.

     In D.A.R.E. I learned about the dangers of cigarettes, alcohol, inhalants and marijuana.  We learned about refusal responses and making good choices.  Our class did role play to practice say "No!"  I learned the most about inhalants, it can make dizzy, it can kill you too.  This class impacted on me.  I want to be a U.S. Marshall when I grow up.  I want to protect the world.  I will brake glass to get to a bad guy and I'm going to be a good man, and I need a good brain and I learned to say "No, No, No!"  I pledge not to drink, drugs.  I promise to make good choices.  I like doing the right thing.  I can talk to many adults around me if I need help or advice.

Daniel M.

     I have learned that drugs are basically asking for death to come early.  I have learned many techniques to say no to drugs & keep me from signing my own death contract.  I been taught many bad things that drugs can do.  Like the fact that smoking basically ages you quicker, and there is actually tar in cigarettes.  The tar actually gets in your lungs and blocks the air coming in.  Also, drinking can turn your brains centers of feeling, thought, seeing, & even pain.  A drunk man is hard to subdue because he doesn't feel much pain.  As well as getting drunk can knock you unconscious & then cause you to throw up and if you are laying on your back, drown in your own vomit.  The thought of drowning has always been scary to me, but drowning in your own vomit, terrible!  To stop this, I have learned to say no, use humor, be stern, make eye contact, speak clearly, hang out with friends, use excuses, give a reason involving parents, or say you will not & convince the other person.  I pledge to not use alcohol, tobacco, crack, cocaine, heroin, snuff, liquor, meth, or inhalants.  I will instead try to resist drugs & its effects to keep my body & self safe.

Wendal J.

     Did you know that there are many things you have to do in order to become in charge?  If not, come with me on this delightful journey as I lead you to the steps on becoming in charge. 

     Being in charge is very fun.  In order to be in charge you have to stand up for yourself, be proud of who you are, and help others.  If someone is trying to get you to do something you don't want to do, stand up and tell them that you don't want to do it.  If you see someone that needs help, help them.  Avoid situations that you don't want to get into, hang around people that don't drink or smoke, and ignore people that try to get you to do bad things.  If I were you I would follow these steps and become a leader. 

     Being in charge can get you somewhere in life.  I would never ever do anything that would stop me from at least trying to be in charge.

     I Wendal J. promise not to ever smoke or drink, but I will always stay on task.

Jacob S.

     Throughout the D.A.R.E. program this year I have learned many things, but for my D.A.R.E. report I only have one topic.  This one topic is tobacco.  I have learned many things about tobacco.  I have learned to always say "No!" to tobacco. 

     I have also learned very important facts about tobacco like; it has over 200 known poisons, over 400,000 Americans die each year from tobacco related causes, and it is the leading cause of lung, mouth, throat, bladder, and kidney cancer.  All of this tells me that tobacco is not good, and it is important that less people smoke or use tobacco. 

     So, I have introduced you to my D.A.R.E. report and told you very important facts about tobacco, but I have not told you this.  I can use these important facts to help me say "No!" to tobacco.  You can too! 

     I now say that I am committed to never smoke a cigarette or chew tobacco ever in my life.  I hope everyone else is committed too.

Brooke G.

     My D.A.R.E. topic is about alcohol and what it does to you. 

     Alcohol can slow down the body and brain.  Some examples of Alcohol are:  loss of self-control, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, loss of coordination, memory lapses, and slurred speech.  Too much Alcohol can lead to coma and death.  Alcohol can also increase your risk for a variety of diseases. 

     I learned that if you do any drug (like tobacco, etc.), it can almost kill you in any case. 

     I also pledge that I will never smoke any drugs (or drink) because I have seen some drugs on someone and it was terrible.

summer M.

     In life there are three different kinds of drugs that can do a lot of harm to you.  Those three drugs are Marijuana, Alcohol and Tobacco.  The first drug is Marijuana.  Marijuana is a very harmful drug.  Marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more of some cancer causing chemicals than Tobacco smoke.  Marijuana users have more colds and upper respiratory problems than regular people.  These are the problems that Marijuana can do to your brain and body.  Short-term memory loss, lack of ability to concentrate, slows down coordination and reflexes and affects your ability to judge distance, speed and reaction time.  Be careful because marijuana is addictive and is illegal in the United States.

     The second drug is Alcohol.  alcohol is illegal for anyone under 21 and can damage every organ in your body.  Too much Alcohol can lead to coma or death.  Alcohol goes directly into your bloodstream and increases the risk of diseases.  Alcohol slows down the body and brain.  Examples of this are loss of coordination, slowed reflexes, loss of self-control, poor judgment, memory lapses and slurred speech.  Drinking can also harm other people.  This can lead to car crashes and violence.  If you are under the age of 21 you should not drink Alcohol.  Young people like teens are still growing so Alcohol affects them more than adults.  Alcohol is a very harmful drug.

     Finally my last drug is Tobacco.  Tobacco is the most common cause of lung cancer.  There are 200 known poisons in Tobacco.  Tobacco is very addictive.  It contains Nicotine, which is an addictive substance.  Smoking is the leading cause of death in the United States.  More than 400,000 Americans die from smoking-related causes each year.  Most of the Americans that died were under the age of 18.  The poisons in cigarettes can make your skin dry out, cause wrinkles, yellow your teeth and give you bad breath.  Another terrible thing about smoking is that smoking puts other people around you in danger.  About 3,000 people die every year from breathing in the smoke from smokers.  If I were you I would try to stay away from these drugs as much as possible.  I, Summer M., promise to stay drug and alcohol free for life.

kevin T.

     In my paper I will show you what I learned in D.A.R.E.  I learned about tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants health effects.  I've learned about different kinds of peer pressure, alcohol ads, the D.A.R.E. decision making model (positive choices), and I learned about friendship.

     In D.A.R.E. I learned about tobacco health effects, here are a few of them.  There are 200 known poisons in cigarette smoke; smoking causes heart diseases; smoking is also the most common cause of lung cancer.

     I also learned about alcohol health effects too.  Here are a few of them.  Alcohol slows down the brain and body; too much alcohol leads to coma or death; and alcohol can damage every organ in your body.

     I also learned about marijuana; here are some health effects about it.  Smoking marijuana gives you breathing problems; marijuana is illegal in the United States; and marijuana users have more upper respiratory problems.

     I learned that inhalants can kill you the very first time you use them.

     The different kinds of peer pressure are positive, bullying, and bad peer pressure.  Peer pressure is when someone your age tries to tell you to do something you do want to do, or something you don't want to do depending on what kind of peer pressure it is.  Positive peer pressure is like: "Do you want to come over to my house" says a friend.  Bullying peer pressure is like this: "Hey you, have one of these cigarettes or else" says a bully.  Bad peer pressure is harmless but it could be something you don't want to do.

     I also learned about alcohol ads in commercials, stores, restaurants, and magazines.  Kids watch T.V. so they see commercials.  Kids go to restaurants and stores they see those ads.  Some kids look at magazines.  Kids see alcohol ads almost everywhere these kids go; alcohol ads are everywhere.

     I even learned about the D.A.R.E. decision making model.  D stands for define, A stands for assess, R stands for respond, E stands for evaluate.  I use the D.A.R.E. decision making model to make very positive choices.  The D.A.R.E. decision making model can be helpful when you are in almost any situation.  Like if your friend wants you to come over to his house, but your parents said that they don't want you to leave the house, you could use the D.A.R.E. decision making model for a decision like that.  I even learned about friendship and what a good friend is.  A good friend to me is someone that likes to be my friend for who I am and someone who isn't always rude and mean.

     I've had a lot of fun in D.A.R.E. with Officer Files.  I've had fun learning about peer pressure, all the health facts about alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and inhalants, and learning about how bad drugs are.  From all the things I learned about drugs from Officer Files I don't think I'll ever smoke or do drugs.

     I will use the D.A.R.E. decision making model every time I'm in bad peer pressure, and when I'm pressured to do drugs or smoke.  In D.A.R.E. the D stands for drugs,  A stands for abuse, R stands for resistance, and E stands for education.  This is how D.A.R.E. has taught me how to make wise and healthy choices that can save my life.  My pledge to not do drugs is I, Kevin T., will stay drug-free and be healthy.

AMANDA B.

     Hi!  My name is Amanda B., I have learned a lot this past 9 lessons.  I have learned how to say no, I have learned what Tobacco, Marijuana, Alcohol, and Inhalants can do to your body.  I have also learned what peer pressure is.  I now know that if your so called friends ask you to do something bad that they are not really your fried. 

     There are so many bad things that Alcohol, Marijuana, Tobacco, and Inhalants can do to you and the people around you.  Now, I am going to tell you some of the bad things these four drugs can do to you.  Number 1. Alcohol slows down the brain and body, can give you slurred speech, Alcohol goes directly in to your blood stream and can increase your risk of a variety of diseases, Alcohol can damage every organ in your body, and if you are with someone who is drinking there is an increased risk of injury, car crashes and violence.  There is a fact about Alcohol that a lot of people ignore, it is Alcohol is illegal for anyone under 21. 

     Now I am going to tell you about Marijuana.  Marijuana has a lot of names I am only going to tell you one, it is pot, it's the same thing as Marijuana.  If you smoke pot you are smoking Marijuana.  Marijuana does a lot of things to your body like it causes breathing problems, it makes you have more colds and upper respiratory problems.  It affects your brain and body, some examples are short-term memory loss, loss of ability to concentrate, slows coordination and reflexes, and affects your ability to judge distance, speed and reaction time. 

     Another one of the four is Tobacco.  Tobacco is like Marijuana you smoke both of these drugs.  But some Tobacco is a little different, you can chew some types of tobacco.  Chewing Tobacco can give you all kinds of diseases like mouth disease and heart disease.  The smoking Tobacco can give you breathing problems, lung cancer, and smokers have more colds and upper respiratory problems. 

     Last but not least is Inhalants.  For you to use Inhalants you don't need to take it secretly from someone.  Like you have to do to get Marijuana and other types of drugs.  You just have to go to the store and buy normal things like gas, paint, and house cleaners.  All these things are good and normal but if you use them the wrong way they can be deadly.  The fumes of the gas or paint or what ever is in the room, go strait to your brain.  Bit by bit the poison destroys your brain until finely you die.  Not a nice way to die, huh? 

     I'm glad I learned all this from Officer Charlie, now I know how to say no to all these bad drugs and I know not to give in to peer pressure.  The number of skills I have learned are 2.  How to say no and how not to give in to peer pressure.  My pledge is:  I Amanda B. pledge that I will say no to all bad drug offers.  That concludes my D.A.R.E. report.

Sara R.

     Hello my name is Sara R.  I think D.A.R.E. is a great program.  I hope you 4th graders will enjoy D.A.R.E. as much as my fellow classmates and I did.  D.A.R.E. is not just a way to get out of math, no, it's a special and very important program that helps you make healthy decisions in life, it also helps you make good decisions not just about health.  There are many things I learned in D.A.R.E.  One thing I learned about, is the D.A.R.E. decision making model.  The D.A.R.E decision making model is important because it helps you make those decisions I was talking about earlier.  D.A.R.E. stands for; D-Define <Describe the problem, challenge or opportunity.> A-Assess <What are your choices?> R-Respond <Make a choice.  Use facts and information you have gathered.> E-Evaluate <Review your decision.  Did you make a good choice?> (This is not a part of the D.A.R.E. decision making model but I will always remember it;) Will you be happy with this decision in the morning?  That's the method of D.A.R.E. 

     The next thing I learned in D.A.R.E. is about tobacco.  Tobacco affects your brain, your mouth and throat, your lungs, and your heart and liver.  Tobacco is incredibly bad for you, for example:  smoking tobacco increases the chances of colds and upper respiratory problems.  Smoking tobacco is the #1 cause of long term cancer, tobacco has more than 200 of the known poisons (including rat poisons), and there are many more reasons why you should not smoke tobacco.  Smoking tobacco is very gross because it can cause your teeth to turn yellow and you will have smelly breath.  Smoking tobacco is so dangerous that over 400,000 people have died from tobacco related causes.  Tobacco contains nicotine which makes it addictive.  It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under the age of 19. 

     I learned that marijuana also affects your whole body.  Marijuana can cause short-term memory loss and the inability to concentrate.  Smoking marijuana causes breathing problems.  It can increase your risk of cancer, because marijuana smoke has more cancer causing chemicals than in tobacco smoke.  Smoking marijuana can cause breathing problems.  Marijuana is illegal in the United States. 

     Alcohol is in beer and wine.  Alcohol also affects your whole body and can damage every organ in your body.  Alcohol slows down your brain and body, for example; slowed reflexes, loss of self-control, and poor judgment.  If you drink alcohol with your friends, you or your friends can harm you or themselves.  Drinking large amounts of alcohol can lead to a coma or death.  If someone mixes alcohol and medicine it could lead to dangerous results.  Alcohol would affect your school performance.  Adults over the age of 21 are legally allowed to drink alcohol.  Teens are still growing, so alcohol is more damaging to us than to adults.  Luckily most teens don't drink alcohol.  There are advertisements for drugs and alcohol everywhere, on T-shirts, in stores and even on toys.  The ads try to get you to buy their products and it's just for money.  They don't care about your health. 

     Peer pressure is when some people from a group want you to do something you don't want to do and some other people from the same group are either supporting you or just standing by.  It might be hard to say "yes" or "no", but you should trust your instincts. 

     Personal pressure is when you have a choice to make on your own.  It's either a good decision or a bad decision or somewhere in between.  Inhalants are very deadly because the first time you try it, you could die.  It affects your whole body, just like alcohol, marijuana and tobacco.  One of the last things that I learned in D.A.R.E. is that there are good friends and bad friends.  A good friend is someone who is there for you and on your side and doesn't force you to do anything you don't want to do.  And a good friend also cares about your health, but most importantly you are able to trust them.  You can tell if someone is not your friend because they might pick on you or they might force you to do stuff you don't want to do.  They don't care about your health and mostly you don't trust them and they don't trust you.  I pledge to be drug free and not to use tobacco, marijuana, alcohol or any other drugs.  I promise to try and make good decisions in my life.  I pledge to be in charge of me!

Luke D.

     Hi, I am Luke D., and I'm going to tell you all the awesome things I learned in D.A.R.E.  At first I thought it would be just another assignment, but then I realized how important it is and how much Officer Shackelford had to offer.  She taught us about the D.A.R.E. decision making model and the toxins in a cigarette. 

     Also, she told us it wasn't horrible to give someone the "cold shoulder".  During D.A.R.E. I learned so much, but I do not have the time to share them all.  Yet, here are some:  one cigarette takes seven minutes of your life and inhalants could kill you the first time but it might not kill you the seventieth time.  Out of all of them, this is the one that will stop me dead in my tracks for ever putting a cigarette on these lips:  there are over 250 poisons in one cigarette! 

    The skills I've learned will help me stay drug free!  The cold shoulder technique is my favorite.  Also the power my peers and I have over each other could probably fill three blimps.  All these reasons will help me stay drug free!  I, Luke D., will stay drug free for my whole life.  Not just because it will help me but because it might tear my life and family apart.  With drugs, going to Harvard, and becoming a naturalist may never come true.  So that is why I am going to stay drug free.  Are you?

Rachel H.

     I have learned a lot of things about drugs and alcohol in the D.A.R.E. program, and most the things I have learned are bad.  In fact all the things I have learned about drugs are bad!  Because of this program, I feel more confident to say "no" to drugs and "yes" to a good life.  Officer Wendi has taught all of us many ways to say no to drugs if they are ever offered to us, such as:  giving the person the cold shoulder, ignoring them, just walking away, stating facts about the drug, and encouraging the person who is offering them to you not to do them. 

    Drugs can ruin your life and dreams.  I have a dream to become a W.N.B.A. basketball player and drugs would ruin that dream.  Marijuana smoke has 50% to 70% more cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco smoke.  If you have to much alcohol you can drown in your own vomit... gross but true!  Cigarettes cause your lungs to turn black with tar.  All of these facts are extremely disgusting, but they are all true.  I really appreciate what the D.A.R.E. program has done for me and my classmates.  It has helped me realize how much control we have over our own health and our friends health.  I will take advantage of this and keep my friends and me healthy.  I would also like to thank Officer Wendi for using her time to teach us about drugs and possibly saving many of our futures.  For all these reasons and more, I , Rachel H., am proud, and always will be, to say that I'M drug free!  Are you?

Kendra R.

    This year I have been doing a wonderful program called DARE.  DARE is nearly done and in this report I will tell all the things I have learned.  In DARE I have learned how to say no.  When you say no to someone you should stand up straight, look them in the eye and firmly say "NO, I don't want to smoke." (or drink or be a bully)  This will help me if I need to think of a response to someone quickly.  I have also learned facts about smoking, inhalants, marijuana, tobacco and alcohol.  They facts will help me if I need a fact to add to my response. 

     Another thing that will help me is how to stop bullying and how to handle peer pressure.  One way to stop bullying is to take the person who is being bullied away from the situation or tell a teacher or trusted adult.  A way to handle peer pressure is to not listen to your peers if they are telling you to do something you know is wrong.  DARE has taught me a lot.  I have learned that if you are under the age of 18 it is illegal to chew or smoke tobacco. 

    Alcohol can affect your school performance.  It is important to know these facts when trying to teach people about drinking, smoking, alcohol, inhalants and bullying.  It is also important to know these facts so I can make a strong case when I have to say no to someone.  Cyber bullying is another way of being bullied.  When someone bullies you on the computer you can sign off or tell them to stop.  Another good thing would be to tell your parents.  Its important to know how to stop cyber bullying because it happens a lot and it is not a good thing to have happen, or to do.  When you know how to stop it, then hopefully, it won't happen as often.  In DARE I have learned to stop bullying, and cyber bullying; I have learned facts about drugs, inhalants, tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.  I have seen which choices to choose and which are good choices.  DARE has helped me see what a good friend and a good citizen is. 

     DARE has also helped to teach me about peer pressure, warning labels, Commercial, medication, decision making, and Daren.  Learning all these things in DARE has made my commitment to not smoke and drink even stronger.  I know all I have learned in DARE will help me in the future.  I think it is important to be drug free because it makes your life better and healthier.  DARE is a wonderful program that I enjoyed a lot.  I would do the DARE program again, and after completing the program:  "I pledge to help the world make wise decisions, and to try and stop the people from using marijuana, tobacco, drinking alcohol and more.  I also pledge not to use drugs."

Mark B.

     I am so glad that the Anchorage School District gave us the opportunity to have D.A.R.E. in 5th grade.  I learned so many new things like not to smoke, advertisements are not always good, and how to handle peer pressure.  All of those things I learned from my Officer Rob.  I couldn't have done it with out him.  Did you know these days smoking, drugs and other bad things are being advertised on baby bibs, stuffed animals, kids clothing and a ton more?  People think they will be more popular and cool if they wear things like that.  But eventually kids might find an adult that will buy the actual product for them!  That may be one of the ways they get into drugs.  Some ads glamorize alcohol and cigarettes by using animals, pretty scenery, and fun activities.  The harmful effects are written on the products, but the print is so small that someone may not read it. 

     Officer Rob, has any student ever been suspended form school for wearing an inappropriate t-shirt?  Why does that man have no jaw?  Smoking will cause bad things to happen to your body like your jaw bone disintegrating, lungs becoming black, and dying.  People may think it is cool to smoke, but they are making their bodies incapable of running and doing other out doors activities.  They might say they have asthma as an excuse for not breathing correctly.  The people know that the cigarettes are doing this to them.  They're so addicted to the cigarettes that they have gotten to a point where they crave it like pregnant woman with ice cream.  I'm so glad that many restaurants have banned smoking inside so I can really enjoy the taste of my food. 

    Do you know who your real friends are?  Real friends wouldn't say "Come on, you know you want a stick!"  Real friends would rather be playing soccer, capture the flag, or riding bikes.  I realize how important it is to have good friends in my life.  Even though I have not personally experienced negative peer pressure, I now know ways to stay out and get out of bad situations.  D.A.R.E. was an awesome experience.  I had fun, but I also learned many life-long lessons.  I hope all students will have the opportunity to be a part of this important program.  My Pledge Statement - I pledge to say "No" to drugs and alcohol.  I have learned how to stand up for myself.  I will stick to my decision to live a drug-free life.  I know who I am and I know that I want to stay healthy and happy.  I will ask for support from my family, friends, teachers and even the police.  I will help others say "No" to drugs and alcohol.

Officer Lund,

     I wanted to let you know that the D.A.R.E. program works!  My son Nick and his friend David were out playing in David's neighborhood when a 14 year old boy tried to show them his pot.  They got very uncomfortable and told the kid they had to leave and ran home to David's home and told his mother.  My son insisted that she call me and tell me what happened.  On their way to football practice the next night all they could talk about is how stupid this kid was and all the nasty things that was going to happen to him.  I was so proud of both of them.  This is a good example of how well the D.A.R.E. program works.  They both were in Mrs. Christiansen's 5th grade class at Chugiak Elementary last school year 2005-2006.  I hear that more 5th graders there will be able to participate in the program for this year and here is proof that the more these kids learn the better the choices they make.