Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Baker Lake ( Jun 07/00) - May 25 marked a special night in Baker Lake when 80 young students graduated from the hamlet's first DARE program.

The Grade 5 and 6 students from Rachel Arngnammaktiq elementary school weren't the only ones to participate.

It was also RCMP Const. Jennifer Ebert's first time instructing a DARE program.

Ebert had to travel to the DARE training facility in Edmonton for a two-week course before being allowed to administer the program.

She says it was well worth the effort.

"One requirement to graduate from DARE is to write an essay about what you learned from the program. We got a lot of feedback from the kids through those essays.

"One Grade 5 student wrote about how she quit smoking and feeling better about herself since she did.

"Only a few of the kids smoked or chewed tobacco and we had some of them quit during the program."

Ebert says students receive positive feedback during the program and are rewarded for accomplishing their goals and assignments.

She says having grassroots programs like DARE in Kivalliq hamlets is important because of the amount of substance abuse in the communities.

"It seems smoking and chewing snuff have been accepted by the communities and it's not perceived as a problem with the kids.

"This program gives them the awareness to make an informed decision about a healthy lifestyle choice."

One of DARE's 17 lessons is based on positive alternatives to hanging out at night and getting involved in destructive behaviour.

Ebert says it's set up so the kids see positive choices in their lives.

Role models are brought in from the high school to help guide the younger students.

"It's beneficial to have kids from the high school who don't smoke, do drugs or drink alcohol to come in and explain to the kids how tough it is entering high school.

"They tell them how they say no to the negative influences in their life and you see them really connect when it's the older kids telling them they don't have to do these things."

Ebert says with time, DARE will make a difference for kids in Kivalliq communities.

"With Nunavut, it's important for these kids to go on in school, graduate and become the next teachers and nurses.

"It's important to get through to them at this age and have positive alternatives in their lives."