Salina Police Department School Resource Officer Matthew Woodruff is instructing the new 10-week D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program with our 5th grade students. The “new” D.A.R.E. program moves away from the old lecture-style “just say no” approach of the 1980s and 1990s and is now based on an evidence-based curriculum called keepin’ it REAL. This program focuses less on lectures and more on interactive, student-centered activities, such as practicing refusal skills and learning how to handle peer pressure. The broader goal is to help students build strong decision-making skills they can use in real-life situations.

The REAL acronym teaches students practical strategies:

Refuse – saying no

Explain – why you are saying no

Avoid – staying away from risky situations

Leave – getting out of an uncomfortable situation

We are grateful for Officer Woodruff’s commitment to supporting our students and partnering with our school to make this program.