Fifth-graders DARE before community
By Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE — Riverfront fifth-graders joined a longstanding community tradition of earning Drug Abuse Resistance Education certificates last week.
Approximately 125 fifth-graders of the Florence Township Riverfront School graduated from the Florence Police Department’s annual DARE program.
”We want them to understand that kids that use drugs and alcohol are the minority and it is not the norm,” Florence police Chief Alvin Scully told the Register-News yesterday. “We want them to know that they are supported for making good decisions. We want them to know that they need to make their own decisions and to make sure they are good ones.”
At the Jan. 30 graduation ceremony, students smiled as their family and friends gathered inside the school.
”It is a community event,” the chief said.
Principal Theresa Elias, Assistant Principal Tim D’ Angelo and Donna Ambrosius, superintendent of schools, joined government officials Mayor Craig Wilkie and Councilman Frank Baldorossi to witness the graduation.
Music was provided by the middle school band, and the event featured guest speakers. Several award-winning essays, written by the students, also were read.
”The fifth-grade teachers of Riverfront School want to send their thanks again to the DARE police officers and Florence Township Police Department, who do their part to help our students grow and succeed,” Principal Elias said.
Certificates were awarded to students at the end of the evening after which time the youngsters collectively took the DARE pledge.
”Tonight, we are here to celebrate the accomplishments of the fifth-graders going through our DARE program,” said Sgt. Mauro Correnti from the Florence Police Department.
Sgt. Mauro worked as a DARE instructor with the Riverfront fifth-grade students.
The annual program began in Florence two decades ago.
”I want to congratulate each and every one of you,” Mayor Wilkie said. “The key — in order for our children to be successful — is parental involvement.”
He told students, “Whatever changes, make them positive. You can be successful, take the time, and look for the positive.”
Florence’s DARE program started in 1992.
”I cannot take credit for starting the DARE program,” said Chief Scully on Jan. 31. “In 1992, I was approached by Chief Richard Yurcisin — who has since passed away — about the program. (He) asked if I would be interested in getting involved.”
The chief was indeed interested.
Chief Scully said he and Detective Lonney Brown, now retired, attended training provided by the New Jersey State Police. They then began the local presentation of the program in September 1993.”
”This will be our 20th year of doing the DARE program,” Chief Scully said. “We do support the program, and we are going to try to keep it around as long as we can with the support of the schools, administration, council. Everybody, thank you very much.”
DARE was started in 1983 by Los Angles teachers and police officers, and it migrated across the country with the success of the program with the younger grades, according to Sgt. Correnti.
Five Police Department officers of Florence Township participated in the recent DARE program.
These officers went through a two-week training class in South Jersey by the New Jersey state police, Sgt. Correnti said.
”What DARE teaches along with the effects of drug and alcohol are alternatives to peer pressure, ways to say no, self-esteem and other things than drugs and alcohol,” Sgt. Correnti said.
Over the fall and winter months, Florence police officers visited fifth-grade classes once a week for 10 weeks.
Sgt. Correnti runs the DARE program.
Additional participating officers included Patrolman Brian Panaro, Patrolwoman Michelle Hollins, Sgt. Jon Greenberg and newbie Jason Shafer, patrolman.
According to Patrolman Hollins, the students at the end of the program had to write a one-page, 250-word essay describing what they learned.
Each fifth-grade class had a winning entry — a total of six in all — including Kenzi Trembula, Nickolas Yurcho, Joseph MacArthur, Leuna Sen, Shubh Joshi and Kaitlyn Bernhard. Each winner was called up on stage to read their work aloud.
The students then were given a stuffed lion animal wearing a DARE T-shirt and a certificate.
”I think that DARE is amazing and should never stop,” said Kenzi Trembula, a fifth-grade essay winner.
Kenzi said, “I learned so much . . . I got to know my three favorite police officers that I really enjoyed learning from. I got to know the true story behind drugs and alcohol.”
—Jen Samuel, managing editor, contributed to this report.

