Chelsea Intermediate School fifth grade students graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program recently. Frankfort Mayor Jim Holland, Deputy Chief of Police Kevin Keegan, DARE Officer Mike Pazera, Crime Prevention/Community Liaison Officer Leanne Bender, Chelsea Principal Kristin Simpkins, Chelsea Assistant Principal Dan Prorok and fifth grade teachers and parents were at the ceremony to congratulate the graduates.
The DARE program originally began in Los Angeles, California in 1983 as a combined effort of the police department and school district. For over twenty years, District 157-C students have participated in the program that helps students make good decisions by providing them with good alternatives. Mayor Holland stated, “Many elected officials have dropped this program and we thank our officers and the School District for allowing this program to continue.”
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At the ceremony, all graduates’ names were read and each student was presented with a certificate of achievement and a T-shirt sponsored by the District 157-C Family School Partnership organization and the Frankfort Police Department.
The following students were honored as classroom essay contest winners: Porter Sasso, Mia Conway, Rebekah Stryjewski, Naomi Carl, Carys Haberkorn, Allison Lisota, Justin Cheow, Kayla Pacini, Kevin McCreary, Kendall Reh, Ethan Mills and Nicholas Heerde. These students were each awarded a $50 gift certificate sponsored by the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce.
