Community Services

Drug Abuse Resistance Education

The core lessons are taught in our district to all 5th and 7th grade students. We also offer a parents D.A.R.E. course. This curriculum was developed and produced by D.A.R.E. America in conjunction with the River Forest School District. The 7th grades receive a 10 week course.

Lesson #1 - Introduction to the D.A.R.E. program. Students become acquainted with the D.A.R.E. Officer. They are given their D.A.R.E. workbooks and are told what to expect in the coming weeks. The D.A.R.E. Officer will explain that they need to have a parent or guardian sign the permission slip allowing them to participate in the D.A.R.E. program.

Lesson #2 - Understanding the Effects of Mind-Altering Drugs. Students will understand the basic facts about mind-altering drugs and the harmful effects that may result from the misuse of these drugs. D.A.R.E. permission slips are collected.

Lesson #3 - Considering Consequences. Students will be able to identify consequences of using and choosing not to use tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.

Lesson #4 - Changing Beliefs About Drug Use. Students will be able to identify the major sources and kinds of pressure and to compare their estimates of the extent of drug use among adolescents with estimates reported in national surveys.

Lesson #5 - Learning Resistance Techniques - Ways to Say No. Students will be able to demonstrate effective ways to respond to different kinds of peer pressure to use drugs. In this lesson the students learn and practice the 8 ways to say no.

Lesson #6 - Building Self-Esteem. In this lesson students learn and understand that self-esteem, the way a person feels about himself or herself, results from positive and negative feelings and experiences. Students will recognize positive qualities about themselves.

Lesson #7 - Learning Assertiveness - A Response Style. Students will be able to respond assertively in refusing to use drugs.

Lesson #8 - Managing Stress Without Taking Drugs. Students are taught to recognize stress encountered in their daily lives and to suggest ways to deal with it other than by taking drugs.

Lesson #9 - Reducing Violence. Students are taught to recognize that destructive acts of violence are inappropriate ways to deal with anger and to resolve disagreements. Students will be able to identify nonviolent ways to deal with anger and disagreements.

Lesson #10 - Combating Media Influences on Drug Use and Violence. Students develop an understanding and skills needed to analyze how the media can influence the way people think, feel, and act about drug use and violence.

Lesson #11 - Making Decisions About Risky Behaviors. Students learn about the decision-making process in evaluating the consequences of various kinds of risk-taking behavior, including that of using drugs, tagging, and using weapons.

Lesson #12 - Saying Yes to Positive Alternatives. Students will learn about activities that are interesting and rewarding alternatives to drug use.

Lesson #13 - Having Positive Role Models. Students from the High School that do not take drugs come and discuss with the D.A.R.E. students their experiences and explain that it's okay to be drug free. This lesson clarifies a lot of misconceptions about the Junior High and High School.

Lesson #14 - Resisting Gang and Group Violence. Students learn to identify the negative consequences of gang and group violence. They are also suggested ways to avoid becoming involved in these groups.

Lesson #15 - Summary/Review. This lesson is a review of the material that we have covered in the program. A review game like D.A.R.E. Baseball is used to cover this material and have a lot of fun in the process.

Lesson #16 - Taking a Stand. In this lesson the students read an essay in front of the class that they have written explaining how and why they want to stay drug free and avoid violence.

Lesson #17 - Culmination. This lesson is the graduation ceremony for the students completing the D.A.R.E. program. They receive a certificate and a T-shirt along with several other items such as their D.A.R.E. Grad Card. This Grad Card entitles them to free items and discounts from several of our local merchants. Parents are encouraged to attend this very special day and witness their child taking a very big step in life.