Around 400 primary students from government and private schools won awards for participation in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The D.A.R.E. graduation ceremonies at Agape Family Worship Centre acknowledged Year 6 students from North Side, East End, Savannah, Bodden Town, George Town, John A. Cumber, Cayman Prep, Triple C, Truth for Youth, Cayman Academy, First Baptist, St. Ignatius and Red Bay schools.
Cayman Academy Year 6 students with their D.A.R.E awards. Photo: Jewel Levy |
The graduation was the culmination of 10 weeks of drug, violence and life skills instruction offered by specially trained police officers.
Congratulating the students on completing the D.A.R.E. programme at Tuesday’s ceremony were the Governor’s wife, Emma Dinwiddy, Chief Education Officer Nayda Flatley, Chief Superintendent Derek Haines and senior police officers. PC Andy Alexander and PC Harold Forte, who handed out the certificates.
Mrs. Flatley said it was clear from their presentations that students were given the tools by the D.A.R.E programme to succeed in a drug-free lifestyle.
‘Sadly though, statistics will show that in this auditorium of several hundred, some students will be at risk of drug abuse in the future.’
To ensure they did not become one of the statistics, Mrs. Flatley told the students to surround themselves with great friends, revisit what they had learned in the D.A.R.E. programme, know who they were, what they stood for and who they wanted to be.
Mrs. Dinwiddy said she hoped they would continue to be guided for the rest of their lives by what they had learned through the programme. She said they should continue to encourage others to say no to drugs.
Chief Superintendent Haines also encouraged the students to remember to keep the commitment by staying away from drugs.
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