Sarah Ba.

D.A.R.E.

In fifth grade we have the privilege of having D.A.R.E. classes. D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Even though the name of this class is about drugs, that is not all we learned about. During our D.A.R.E. classes we learned about many important things such as, how cigarettes affect our body, communication, bullying, and telling vs. tattling.

The first thing we learned about was how cigarettes affect our body. We learned that cigarettes can cause black lung, a serious lung problem that can cause lung cancer. Smoking also reduces the amount of blood that flows to the brain. It can also cause heart disease, which is really harmful because the heart pumps blood all around the body. Another effect of smoking is you have more colds and upper respiratory problems. The secondhand smoke from the cigarettes is also harmful. Did you know that there are almost 50,000 secondhand smoke related deaths each year.There are 200 known harmful chemicals in cigarettes. One of the most known is nicotine. Nicotine is a chemical that makes the cigarettes so addictive. So if you only try 1 cigarette you will get hooked. That is why people who use to smoke, take up hobbies to prevent smoking.  

Another thing we learned about was communication. We learned that communication is very important. There are many communication styles. A common way to communicate is verbal. That is when you are saying or talking about something, and the way you are saying them. There are different ways verbal communication can be used. You could be demanding, unsure, or confident. If you are demanding it means that you are being aggressive. Your tone is tough and stern. When you are unsure, it means you are being timid. You could be avoiding eye contact, or slouching, and talking very quietly. Finally, the last style of verbal communication is “Confident Communication”. This is when you are being assertive. You are making eye contact, your back is straight, and you are talking in a just right tone. Another way to communicate is using nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication is the opposite of verbal communication. It is when you use your body language and hand language.

Finally, the last thing we learned about was bullying. Bullying is when someone makes fun of you or hurts you repeatedly. We learned that bullying is not really that common and most people think that teasing is bullying but it’s not. We were also taught that usually if someone bullies you it is because of their life at home, problems with their family, or even with their schoolwork. Bullying can happen anywhere. It can happen at recess, lunch, or even during class. The last thing we were taught was that if you are being bullied you should tell an adult. After that, if they keep bullying you tell again. If they don’t stop after that you should stand up for yourself assertively. Bullying is serious so if it happens to you, make sure you tell someone about what is happening.

In addition to bullying we learned about tattling and telling. Tattling is when you tell on every little thing somebody does that isn’t a big deal, like if you told on somebody for not drinking all of  their water and then threw it out. On the other hand, telling is when you only tell on somebody when it is necessary. An example of telling is when a student makes a face at the teacher when her back is turned. Telling on someone is okay, but when you start telling on everyone for every little thing, you start to tattle.

In conclusion, D.A.R.E. has taught me so many important lessons that will help me make better decisions in the future. I pledge to never smoke a cigarette, because the nicotine will make me addicted to it and it will have many negative effects on my health and the others who inhales the secondhand smoke from the cigarette.

I, would now like to introduce Chief Timothy Shaw.