D.A.R.E. graduation held at White Oak Elementary

He thanked them for their attendance and support of both the graduates and the Morris Police D.A.R.E. Program.

The students participated in the 10-week program, which focuses on teaching them life skills that will help them make positive decisions as they grow up. The program further stresses how being drug-free helps build a foundation for the rest of their lives.

The Honorable Judge Robert Marsaglia, circuit judge for the 13th Judicial Circuit, was the featured speaker. Judge Marsaglia explained the importance of making good decisions.

He told the graduates if they use the skills and strategies they learned in the D.A.R.E. lessons, they will be very productive citizens.  He stressed that, as they grow older, they are going to have many more important choices to make throughout their lives.

As part of the 10-week D.A.R.E. program, each student was required to write an essay on what they learned in D.A.R.E. and why they think it is important to be drug- and violence-free. A representative from each class was recognized and each read his or her essay as part of the graduation ceremony.

Class representatives received a D.A.R.E. sports ball and a D.A.R.E. Essay Winner Medallion. The class representatives were:
Ms. Castanier’s class – Sophia Shaw
Mrs. DesLauriers’s class – Dylan Tash
Mrs. Farber’s class – Olivia Jenkins
Mrs. Farmer’s class – Meganne Johnson
Ms. Leavitt’s class – Andrew Hipes

Each D.A.R.E. graduate received a D.A.R.E. T-shirt, a D.A.R.E. pin, and a certificate recognizing their achievement.

Patrol Officers’ Doris Noll, Scott Ator, and Jessica Smith were the instructors for the program.

The D.A.R.E graduates were:

From Ms. Castanier’s class:
Kearstin Arends
Peter Cook
Kevin Countryman
Samantha Curry
Nico Dominy
Abbi Fritchtnitch
Lily Goode
Courtney Hicks
Gabe Huffman
Owen Jungles
Avery Kneller
Justin Mann
Baylee Newman
Colton Obrochta
Shyanne Payton
Logan Pierce
Jeanette Ringer
Elizabeth Rivera
Logan Roos
Sophia Shaw
Alexis Smith
Shawnee Timm
Ashlyn Williams
Abigail Yepez
Gustavo Zavala

From Mrs. DesLauriers’ class:
Lupe Aguilera
Haley Aukland
Dillion Conroy
Nathan Diaz
Ben Doss
Carlie Evans
Angel Heck
Michael Hernandez
Sammie Hill
Amelia Hiney
Hailey Jamison
Logan Joseph
Saira Juarez
Mandy Knapp
Madison Koster
Charlie Lewis
Mariah McPherson
Landon Moore
Jose Rico
Mandie Sanches
Eyin Stanford
Nolan Swartz
Dylan Tash
Arielle Taylor
Alyssa Zebell

From Mrs. Farber’s class:
Donielle Anderson
Jennifer Arteaga
Clare Bates
Morgan Campbell
Erik Echeverria
Jesse Gill
Keegan Glenn
Olivia Jenkins
Skyler Jordan
Frank Kellam
Jared Kleinfeldt
Carter Lewis
Evan Lindemuth
 Bryce Mahnke
Niki Matuszewski
Tera McCormick
Andrew Meloun
Sophie Mennenga
Naya Miller
Jocelyn Olvera
Emma Peterson
Joseph Pursell
Kaylee Roather
Brandon Weitzel
Steffan Wengstrom
Esperanza Xique