Cambridge Bay (Apr 14/03) - Eighteen Grade 4 students in Cambridge Bay are swelling with pride.

They recently graduated from the Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education program (DARE) in Cambridge Bay.

This was the second year for the program in the hamlet and DARE co-ordinator Isabelle Bouchard said she was impressed with its growing success.

"It's like a buildup. Last year they were very proud and this year they are even prouder," she said.

"You feel like you're preventing something from happening.

Even if you prevent one child or one young adult from taking the wrong path in life, it's worth it," she said.

Students who take the program write an essay on what they've learned before going through a graduation ceremony to celebrate DARE's completion.

Dawn Wilson, principal of Kullik Ilihakvik elementary school, said it was an act of bravery for three students to stand before their peers to read the essays.

"They are making a commitment and that's a pretty difficult and brave thing to do. A lot of adults can't do that," she said.

Drugs are gross

by Tina Anawak

I learned not to do drugs and avoid people who have them.

You should not do drugs. I want to be drug-free because I want to be healthy, be a good person and have a long life.

I also want to have a good job and lots more.

I am not going to do drugs because they are gross and they make you sick. They are bad for you. People think drugs are cool but they are not.

I like the DARE program because it is fun being in groups and fun acting and learning about drugs.

I am never going to do drugs. When people do drugs their health goes down and your stress level goes higher.

People do drugs because they are being dumb and trying to fit into a group.

They should trust themselves so they can live a long and good live. When you take drugs it makes you dumb and if you have too much drugs it will make you violent.

Drugs are not good.

Teaches safety

and health

by Douglas Bligh

I feel lucky that the DARE program told us that drinking and smoking was dumb.

All of the things I have learned will help me be drug-free.

If people ask me to drink I will say drinking is wrong. It can make you drunk and kill you. If you drink then drive you could die.

Smoking is not good, too. It can give you all kinds of cancer and if you have children they can get sick and maybe die.

Thanks to the DARE program I have learned lots of things to keep me healthy and safe. I hope my brother and sister will learn the same thing.

If I become drug-free I will be a movie-maker. I will try to do my best in anything I must do.

When I grow up I will tell people that smoking and drinking is completely wrong.

I just want to say thank you to the DARE program. You have made me learn that drugs are not good for you. All the things you have taught me will help me be drug-free.

I see that smoking can kill you.

I had heard that smoking is cool and everyone does it. I finally figured out that smoking is not cool and bad for you.

Once again, thank you.

Stay healthy without drugs

by Darian Hogaluk

I feel happy and great about the DARE program. It is fun and I enjoyed it.

I would want to do the DARE program again. I enjoyed the DARE program when Isabelle was teaching. It was good to learn about new stuff because you can be smart, too.

I didn't know that the DARE program was going to be fun. I mostly enjoyed the part when we did the plays, watching the movie about DARE and doing the word search.

I have learned how to stay away from drugs and violence. I learned to say 'no' if someone asked me if I wanted to do drugs. I would stay away from violence. I don't need violence. Drugs and violence can hurt us.

It is important not to drink, do drugs and violence because you can get a disease anyhow, any time.

Drugs can give you lung cancer, heart disease, stinky breath, yellow teeth and yellow fingers.

When you drink and drive you can get into a car crash because it gets really blurry. I wouldn't do drugs because you can get into a fight with other people and you can cause violence. If there are kids around they can get scared and they can cry.

I wouldn't drink and do drugs so I can stay in shape and be really healthy.