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June 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 27, 2004 DARE Days come to an end By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings As her students celebrated completing their school's DARE program at Emigrant Lake on Wednesday, Sams Valley Elementary School teacher Mary Palmer-Nowland expressed disappointment that this would be the last year they would be rewarded for being drug-free. Quincy Briscoe (right) waves to friends while sitting next to Helman Elementary classmate Chris Landt during a boat ride Wednesday on Emigrant Lake for DARE Days. Denise Baratta Ashland Daily Tidings For 12 years, fifth-graders throughout the county have looked forward to a day of fun at Emigrant Lake for completing Project DARE, a nationwide youth drug prevention program sponsored in Jackson County by local law enforcement agencies. Facing budget cuts, the Medford School District board announced in the fall they would end the district's DARE program. The board estimated they will save $70,000 a year toward a $2.4 million budget deficit. Due to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department receiving a portion of their funding from the Medford School District, they will also be able unable to continue to fund the DARE program at schools such as Sams Valley and the celebration at Emigrant Lake. Schools in Ashland and Central Point will continue the DARE program. The program in Ashland is funded by a community grant and not by the school district. "It's just real sad to know these are the last kids to graduate from this program," Palmer-Nowland said as she watched her students barely contain their excitement as they prepared to ride a sheriffs' department boat. "Prevention is the best thing we can do compared to the cost incurred for incarceration and rehabilitation. They're at the right age to learn about prevention before they hit that adolescent wall. This helped encourage them to stay on the right path." Bittersweet for those involved, the circumstances didn't detract from the fun for approximately 650 students who enjoyed their time at the lake. They spent the day using the lake's watersides, taking boat rides, playing Frisbee, or trying out fire equipment. A group of F-15 planes from the Oregon National Guard in Klamath Falls also made a fly-by to start the day. The fun continues today and Friday as an additional 650 students each day from a total of 29 schools celebrate completing the DARE program. At the watersides, Carlie Irvine and her friends were all smiles. "It's really fun and it's a good way to celebrate our hard work." said Irvine, a fifth-grader at Helman Elementary School in Ashland. While she was happy the DARE program will continue in Ashland, she was disappointed to hear other students in the county wouldn't participate anymore. "It's a really good way to teach kids not to use drugs," she said. "Because in our world, we don't want people smoking or using drugs." Deputy Greg Halley, who helps coordinate the DARE program for the sheriffs' department, said while it can be challenge to coordinate, it's worth all the hard work to see the children having so much fun. "It's a celebration of their commitment" he said. "It's amazing what you can do when you spend time with them. They see we're more than the badge and the gun and that we're there to listen to them � We give them the skills to make the right decisions and hope for the best." For Halley, it was emotional to know the event at Emigrant Lake and the DARE program at many Jackson County schools would soon become a memory. "It's certainly disappointing," he said. "What we're teaching to these children may be become priceless down the road." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams