Top DARE programme students at Eden Lodge, (from left) Faith Joseph; Jamario McCollin; Crystal Holder and Daniel Heeralall with their prizes. Standing behind them is DARE officer, Constable Wayne Fortune.

THE DRUG ABUSE Resistance Education (DARE) Programme continues to reap success.

DARE officer attached to Eden Lodge Primary School, Constable Wayne Fortune, said that in his eight years in the position, he probably touched the lives of students who attended all the secondary schools in Barbados.

He was speaking to the DAILY NATION yesterday at a DARE graduation ceremony for students from Form 4A2 and Form 4B1.

"It is going well. There have been one or two who have strayed, but the majority have stayed on the straight and narrow.

"Drugs destroy society so we are trying to prepare these children so when they leave primary school they have the tools to fight drugs – knowledge," he said.

Fortune, who is also the community officer for the Eden Lodge area, said the DARE programme dealt with conflict resolution and assertiveness and praised Eden Lodge's teachers, students and their parents for their support.

The top students at Eden Lodge this year were Crystal Holder and Daniel Heeralall from Form 4A2 and Jamario McCollin and Faith Joseph from Form 4B1. (CA)