After studying the effects and ramifications of drug and alcohol abuse fifth graders in the Tukwila School District proudly accepted their D.A.R.E. graduation certificates at Foster High School Performing Arts Center on March 18.

D.A.R.E. is the acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Taught by city police officers, students learn to "just say no" and how to help friends and family to overcome or prevent addiction to drugs and alcohol.

All fifth grade classes from each elementary school in Tukwila, (Cascade View, Thorndyke and Tukwila,) participated in the program. Officer Ted Rutt ran the program for Thorndyke students while Officer Rory Mettlin ran the program for Tukwila and Cascade View students.

Officials of the Tukwila community attended the ceremony, including Mayor Jim Haggerton, City Councilman Joe Duffie, Tukwila Schools Superintendent Ethelda Burke and school board president Mary Fertakis.
The ceremony began with the Pledge of Allegiance and was followed by a performance by Officer Reid Lancaster, who played the bagpipes.

Foster High School Vice Principal Darryl Wright spoke on how important the D.A.R.E. program is.
Officer Rutt thanked everyone for joining and introduced Ethelda Burke who gave a brief statement, followed by Mayor Haggerton and Assistant Chief of Police of Tukwila, Mike Villa.

There was a celebrity presence at the ceremony. Mike Rose, anchor of Q-13 news at 9 and 10 p.m. and host of "Washington's Most Wanted," was in attendance. He told students that every most-wanted criminal who is featured on his show has a drug and/or alcohol addiction.

"Being on my show is embarrassing," he told students. "You don't want to have your neighbors to see you dragged out of your house.

"Make good decisions."

Rose described to students the physical pain that comes from being an addict. If an addict commits crimes, which is highly likely he said, police often have to use means of force to get the suspect under control. This could include a baton, tasers and sometimes guns.

Rose said he had been tased before as a demonstration to see how it felt. "It was not fun," he said, also describing the immense pain. Students had many questions for Rose, such as "Can you move when you're tased?"

In response Rose told the student that "Yeah, you can shake around on the ground."

Select students from each school stood up on stage and presented their "Taking a Stand" essays. One articulate student wrote, "Life is like a car; you have to stop and go, and you have to know what direction you are going." She explained why making good decisions regarding drug and alcohol use is her pledge after going through the D.A.R.E. program.

The celebration concluded with a PowerPoint presentation of photographs taken of students throughout the program.

D.A.R.E. was founded in Los Angeles, Calif. In 1983 by former LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates, who passed away in 2010.

His idea behind the program, as noted by the website www.dare.com, was the "long-term solution to drug abuse is prevention and education."

The program has now gone international.