D.R.E.A.M.S. program to teach nightmarish effects of drugs

The Henderson Police Department is encouraging children to dream big.

Through its community relations unit, the department is set to offer the D.R.E.A.M.S. program at 26 elementary schools in Henderson this school year.

The acronym stands for decisions, responsibilities, education, achievement, motivation and self-esteem, and the five-week program is designed to teach fifth-graders how to make positive choices.

It’s similar to the former D.A.R.E. program, which taught students about drug abuse and resistance, according to officer Robert Griffin.

“When (the Metropolitan Police Department) stopped doing D.A.R.E., Henderson felt like there was a void that needed to be filled,” Griffin said. “D.A.R.E. had a lot of information that was dated and not current, so we created a new program that is based on cause and effect to teach children how their decisions will affect them today and their future.”

During the first week of the program, students are set to learn about the purpose of D.R.E.A.M.S. and create “dream boards.”

“We have them focus on any educational or professional goals that they have, whether it’s to be a professional football player or a police officer,” Griffin said. “We have them make a collage that focuses on their dreams for their future.”

The second and third weeks are scheduled to cover how the brain is impacted during drug abuse and how smoking tobacco and marijuana affects the lungs.

“We bring in two sets of pig lungs to show the effects of tobacco and marijuana use,” Griffin said. “We have a healthy set and a cancerous set, and we inflate them so they can see the potential damages if they smoke. We also break down how many chemicals are in one cigarette, and that alone is enough to make anyone never want to touch a cigarette again.”

The fourth week is set to cover prescription drugs, alcohol abuse and peer pressure.

“The abuse of prescription pills is becoming a huge epidemic in the country,” Griffin said. “So, we’ll go through different scenarios and the power of saying, ‘No,’ and why it’s very important to do so.”

The last week is set to teach students about online safety.

“We just added the online section this year,” Griffin said. “We’ll talk to the kids about cyber bullying and their reputation online while using social media.”

At the end of the program, the students are scheduled to receive certificates of completion.

“Some children are used to seeing their parents do some of the negative things they see in the program,” Griffin said. “D.R.E.A.M.S. addresses it and brings those dirty secrets to light. It makes the topics evident and makes the kids not want to even be around those negative things.”

Deborah Harbin, principal at Roberts Elementary School, 227 Charter Oak St., believes the program will help children trust and communicate with officers.

“First of all, it’s important for the children to know that the officers are here to help and protect everyone,” Harbin said. “Second, it’s important to warn them as children about the bad things that can happen if they chose drugs and make bad decisions.”

The Henderson Police Department created and copyrighted the program in hopes of eventually implementing it nationwide.

“D.R.E.A.M.S. is an evolving animal,” Griffin said. “We’re constantly updating the information to make sure we’re current on statistics and the abuse. We want to impact these children, and that’s what it’s all about.”

For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com/police.

Contact Henderson View reporter Caitlyn Belcher at cbelcher@viewnews.com or 702-383-0403.