D.A.R.E.

The D.A.R.E. Program provides drug resistance education in West Feliciana Parish, focusing on 5th and 7th grades. The goal of D.A.R.E. is to prevent the use of drugs and alcohol, reduce membership in gangs, and reduce violent behavior. It also works to teach students how to make wise choices.

D.A.R.E. has existed in West Feliciana for over 20 years and in that time approximately 3,000 students have graduated from D.A.R.E.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education is an officer led education program enabling students to make smart decisions pertaining to violence and drug and alcohol use. The students are taught about drug abuse and the consequences of drug abuse and given tools to recognize and resist peer pressure to partake in harmful activities.

D.A.R.E. is designed to help raise students’ self-esteem, teach students decision making skills, and help them identify positive alternatives to drugs. Active role-playing helps students practice the skills they are learning so they can better implement them in a real-world setting.

The four areas D.A.R.E. focuses on are:
1. Providing accurate information about drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
2. Teaching students good decision-making skills.
3. Showing students how to recognize and resist peer pressure.
4. Giving students ideas for positive alternatives to drug use.