The fifth grade Drug Free Club held their final meeting after school on June 2nd. They reflected on all they had learned about resisting peer pressure, the dangers of “gateway drugs” such as alcohol and tobacco, and how to keep themselves active and healthy. They all wore their Drug Free Club t-shirts, which they designed themselves, and stood together to say the drug free pledge one last time. Then the meeting went to the dogs, literally.
The K-9 unit from the Indiana State Prison visited the club’s last meeting in order to reinforce the message that drugs are bad news and something to stay away from. Lieutenant Sizemore, Officer Slemin, and K-9 Jacob demonstrated the work that they do in order to keep drugs off the streets. K-9 Jacob showed off his skills in finding drugs cleverly hidden in suitcases, wooden boxes, and even on a person. He worked very hard and never once made a mistake. His only reward for such hard work is a simple tennis ball, which he seemed more than satisfied with. Lieutenant Sizemore informed the students about what they should look out for so they can know early on that they are in a situation they should not be in. He showed them examples of actual narcotics and shared some information on what happens to people who are found to posses these substances. The students assured Lt. Sizemore that they were well prepared to say “NO!” to drugs by showing him the refusal skills they had learned at the club meetings.
