Sixth graders at DeKalb West School recently graduated from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program. It’s the first time the drug prevention course has been taught to sixth grade students. They missed participating last year because the D.A.R.E. instructor left last December and a replacement couldn’t be trained in time.

“I was torn up this class of students was going to miss the DARE program,” says Sheriff Patrick Ray. “. I then and there made a promise to myself that I would somehow, someway, make the DARE class up to them.”

School Resource Officer Deputy Lewis Carrick became the new DARE instructor and received his formal training for the course this past summer. At the sheriff’s request, Officer Carrick asked the principals at D.W.S. and DeKalb Middle School if this year’s sixth grade classes could be taught.

“This is how much I believe in educating students about drugs and other important topics that the DARE program is about,” Sheriff Ray said.

“It is a wonderful opportunity to build resourceful bridges and character affording our young people to challenge themselves to grow through their own life experiences, while becoming safe responsible students of our school system and community,” Officer Carrick said. “The DARE program is a wonderful starting point not just to promote drug abuse resistance training, but also a great module to enhance life skills through encouraging educational conversation.”

In addition to DWS, Officer Carrick is teaching the DARE program to 6th graders at DMS and to 5th graders at Northside Elementary School and DWS.

“The opportunity to become a DARE instructor is a great honor and privilege,” Officer Carrick says. “Past experiences working in supervisory roles concerning law enforcement have helped paved the way for me attending a variety of important educational schools, which have empowered me with the necessary training to be equipped to the very best of my ability to teach. I have been blessed to have shared in the experiences, which have positively shaped and molded my life in order for me to become the person I am today. I have had many wonderful people along the way who have made sacrifices teaching and instructing me not only in my career, but also in life. My hope is that I can impact our students to grow every day to be the best that they can be and to realize that they have choices and to be willing to make safe responsible decisions as they reach out beyond where they are comfortable and dream big.”

“I believe Deputy Carrick is doing a great job and is enjoying his first year of teaching DARE. I want to thank the Director of Schools, Patrick Cripps, the DeKalb County Board of Education, and the principals and staff at our schools for working with us this and every year with the DARE program.”