ROYALSTON — Twenty-three Royalston Community School fifth-graders recently celebrated the conclusion of their 10-week D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program with a ceremony attended by their classmates, family, friends and an impressive array of school district, local and state dignitaries.
D.A.R.E. Officer Sherry A. Miner, a patrol officer with the Royalston Police Department, opened with help from the graduates, who led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. She then announced the winning essayist. Honorable mention went to Chance Hubble and Allison Hadmack and Gabriella Linskey tied as runners up.
Jackson Pisani submitted the top essay, which is the program’s capstone project. His essay captured the essence of the class, which focuses on making wise choices. As evidenced by his promise to avoid doing things like “swallowing Tide Pods,” which elicited a few chuckles in the audience, Jackson demonstrated a clear understanding of the D.A.R.E. decision making model. The acronym reminds students to “Define, Assess, Respond, and Evaluate” when faced with a difficult decision.