McNiel Junior High School yearbook staff took a break from class to show their support for the DARE Program this morning.  Your DARE officers are in the junior high schools teaching kids the “keepin it REAL” program.

“Keepin’ it REAL” teaches youth to think critically and communicate effectively. The lessons cover risk assessment, decision making, where to go for support, and communication skills such as conflict resolution and drug refusal. REAL stands for the resistance strategies – Refuse, Explain, Avoid, and Leave . These strategies are based on the narrative stories from thousands of adolescents describing the teen world in their own words, especially their experiences with offers of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and other drugs.  The multimedia, culturally grounded middle school prevention program consists of ten school lessons and five videos developed by kids for kids.