D.A.R.E. is a substance abuse prevention program developed to teach kids to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance use, and other dangerous behaviors. The Penn-Trafford School District, in partnership with the Penn Township Police, utilizes the D.A.R.E. curriculum in all of its elementary schools.
Officer Chad Meyers of the Penn Township Police taught D.A.R.E. lessons to all the district’s 5th-grade students beginning in September and ending with a poster board project contest and graduation celebration in December at which Officer Meyers spoke about the importance of making safe and responsible choices.
To celebrate the students’ pledge to be drug-free, Officer Meyers presented every student with a T-shirt. He also selected two group projects from each 5th-grade class whose project best expressed what they learned and can take away from D.A.R.E.
Winners of the contest received a trip to Lokay Lanes for cosmic bowling. The winners are:
Harrison Park Elementary – Jenna Burger, Sophia Kuretich, Emma Martin, Haley Pizzuto, William Glass, Natalie Good, Sydney Schandler, Zachariah Schroeder, Tristan Barnett, Mia Dobransky, Kennedie McCutcheon, Caleb Leitch, Morgan McIntosh, Benjamin Tharp, and Luke Wonnacott
Level Green Elementary – Tucker Hatam, Ava Van Dyke, Giana Delio, Gia Mrvos, Maiya Pieper, Peyton Dobo, Izzy Stinson, and Seren Yankel
McCullough Elementary – Sawyer Cribbs, Madelyn Renwick, Isabella Supancic, Carter Wojtaseski, Maura Barnyk, Noah Higgins, Aariyah Jones, Scarlett Zemba, Drakari List, Madison Meyer, Ava Mignogna, Elsie Smith, Solomon Johns, Bella Klingensmith, Jackson Krier, Zachary Whitby, and Daunte Clara
Sunrise Estates Elementary – Sophie Mrdjenovich, Zyon Bethea- Knox, Jenna Donis, Ethan Castma, Blake Armstrong, Natalie Shearer, Emma Taylor, Gianna Hooper, Emma Jo Kostyak, Jamisen Fitzroy, Sophia Nguyen, and Emily Ambrose
Trafford Elementary – Lily Dorosh, Lily Venturo, TJ Neel, Jackson Botti, Anthony Calisti, Emily Ross, Macen Reyes, and Mira Pochiba
Officer Chad Meyers with the Trafford Elementary 5th-graders
Officer Chad Meyers with the Level Green Elementary 5th-graders
Officer Chad Meyers with the McCullough Elementary 5th-graders
Officer Chad Meyers with the Sunrise Estates Elementary 5th-graders
Officer Chad Meyers with the Harrison Park Elementary 5th-graders