NELL HOLCOMB STUDENTS GEAR UP FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

Drug resistance education is nearing top speed at Nell Holcomb school.

Students from kindergarten through fifth grade at the school north of Cape Girardeau turned out Wednesday morning for two separate assemblies to kick off the "Just Say No" Club. The assemblies were held in the school's gymnasium to encourage students to join the club and to explain to them the harmful effects of drugs.

The students watched videos about avoiding the use of illegal and controlled drugs and got words of encouragement from a police officer dressed up as McGruff the Crime Dog. Earlier this month the school's counselor, Susan Crites, visited the students' classrooms to explain the club and its drive to enlist students to turn down drugs.

The school is in its second year of participating in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program offered through the Cape Girardeau Police Department. But that program, Crites said, covered only fifth and sixth grades at Nell Holcomb last school year, and just fifth grade this year.

"It's taken us two years to get everyone covered," said Crites, a member of the district's drug education committee. "We've been wanting to offer a curriculum for all the kids, but it's tough to do that in one year.

"This has been a step process. Drug awareness is a biggie now."

It is hoped that a drug education program for the school's sixth, seventh and eighth grades will be started by the end of February, Crites said. Crites said she and science teacher Mike Frazier will attend training Feb. 3-5 for the program, "Project Star." The training will be offered at Columbia through the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

"Project Star" is designed to help adolescents anticipate and resist social pressures to use drugs, information about the program says.

The students attended the assemblies Wednesday in two groups. One assembly was held for kindergarten to third-grade students. The older students attended a second session later.

As the younger students left the assembly, they walked in a line to McGruff and shook hands with the character, dressed in a his characteristic tan trench coat. Many hugged him.

McGruff, the star in at least one of the videos, told the students to stay away from and not use drugs. He said that "winners don't use and users don't win."

"Let's always remember to say no to anyone who offers you drugs," said the crime dog. "We must get away from that person and tell someone we trust." Trustworthy people include people such as teachers, police officers, counselors, and principals, he said.

A family therapist with the Division of Youth Services, which operates under the Missouri Department of Social Services, also spoke to the students. The therapist, Dale Humphries, told the older students that it was important for them to learn about resisting drugs.

"I work with a lot of kids who are older than you," she said, "and a lot of them have used drugs and have gotten in trouble with the courts."

Humphries asked the group what they would do if someone kept trying to get them to take drugs.

"Beat 'em up," said one boy.

"Well," Humphries responded, "you could do that, but that would probably get you in trouble. What would you do?

"Just tell someone," another student answered.