Ellsworth’s New DARE Program [VIDEO]

The City of Ellsworth's School System in cooperation with the Ellsworth Police Department has reintroduced DARE which is being taught to 5th Graders at the Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School. It's a 10 week program, being taught by Officer Shawn Merchant from the Ellsworth Police Department.

Merchant is teaching the class to the 5 5th Grade Classes. DARE used to stand for Drug Abuse Resistance Education but now there's a different focus. DARE now stands for Decide Assess React and Evaluate. From the DARE website

D.A.R.E.’s keepin’ it REAL Elementary School curriculum continues a more than thirty year commitment to providing cutting edge instruction that helps prevent drug use by developing basic, core skills needed for safe and responsible choices…skills that extend well beyond drugs to healthy and mature choices in life

The DARE Program fits in perfectly with the mission of the Ellsworth Police Department, and community policing.