Essay Winners Awarded at DeKalb West School D.A.R.E. Graduation

January 31, 2025
By: Dwayne Page

Keeping kids away from drugs and alcohol is one key part of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. Sixth grade students have been learning from the law enforcement curriculum during the first part of the school year at DeKalb West School. Under the guidance of School Resource Officer Billy Tiner, students were also taught assertiveness training techniques, anger management and conflict resolution skills, interpersonal and communication skills, how to enhance self-esteem, positive alternatives to substance use, and developing risk assessment and decision-making skills.

DWS D.A.R.E. students graduated from the program Friday (January 31) in a special ceremony that was coordinated by Officer Tiner and attended by county officials, law enforcement personnel, Coordinated School Health staff, the DeKalb Prevention Coalition, school administrators, students and families. Students were handed certificates for their successful completion of the program. Essay winners for the best paper on what they learned in D.A.R.E were announced. Jace Davis was the essay winner from Ms. Missy Sliger’s homeroom while Bradi Turney had the best paper in Ms. Kayley Curtis’ homeroom. Each received a $25 gift card from the DeKalb Prevention Coalition and other prizes. Paisley Avera was the top essay winner overall. She won a $50 gift card from the DeKalb Prevention Coalition and other gifts. Paisley read her essay during Friday’s D.A.R.E. graduation program.

Paisley will compete with the overall DeKalb Middle School essay winner to be named later and one of the two will advance to the state for the Tennessee D.A.R.E. Essay Competition sponsored by the Tennessee D.A.R.E Officer’s Association. If a student from this district wins the state competition, the Tennessee D.A.R.E Officer’s Association will pay for the student and their family to attend the D.A.R.E. luau in Pigeon Forge at the state D.A.R.E. conference.

Members of the DeKalb West 2024-2025 D.A.R.E. Graduating Class include: Paisley Avera, Wyatt Bain, Oliver Bell, Hayden Caraway, Jameson Carter, Leah Chittwood, Samson Chittwood, Tyler Clemons, Taelyn Cork, Jayden Curtis, Jace Davis, Stanton Fakes, Zara Fox, Kynlee Griffith, Caison Grisham, Chase Groshong, Nixson Hale, Cash Hancock, Addison Harbaugh, Sawyer Hendrix, Sylar Hickman, Bella Holder, Cainnan Humphrey, Lorenzo Johnson, Luke Johnson, Waylon Ketchum, Holden Leiser, Jackie Lloyd, Bailey McDaniel, Hailey Medrano, Ivy Melton, Zadah Miller, Karson Mullinax, Jaxson Murphy, Mason Nicholas, Griselda Nicholson, Adysen Olivas, Karlee Pierce, Derek Pinkston, Shayla Rebertus, Conner Robinson, Jasen Sandlin, Colton Saso-Varble, Isabella Scott, Kayla Sebolt, Lexie South, Turner Stanley, Bradi Turney, Maddox Vickers, Kensley Womack, and Lucas Yancey.

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