Warsaw Students Celebrate DARE Graduation
WARSAW — Students from Harrison, Madison, Claypool, Sacred Heart, Leesburg, Washington, Jefferson, Eisenhower and Lincoln elementary schools, along with their families, teachers and DARE officers, gathered at the Grace College Manahan Orthopaedic Center, Winona Lake, Tuesday, May 15, for the annual DARE graduation.
DARE, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, is a program that was founded in 1983 and is now being implemented in 75 percent of school districts in over 52 countries. The program is led by police officers and teaches children how to resist peer pressure and live productive, drug-free lives.
The event began with Warsaw Police Department Detective Brad Kellar entering the event on a police motorcycle. He then performed the National Anthem with help with the Fort Wayne Police Honor Guard.
Cayman Blake received the Special Recognition Award. Blake and Honorary Warsaw Police Officer Drake Price led the students in the traditional R.O.A.R. greeting.
Warsaw Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert was the keynote speaker for the graduation ceremony. He gave the students three pieces of advise. The first piece of advice was to find the person you would trust to throw you off a cliff. Hoffert shared a story about how his son trusted him to throw him off a cliff into the water at just four years old. He encouraged students to find adults in their lives that they trust and can go to with any questions. His second piece of advice was that teamwork makes the dream work, he emphasized that students often reflect the actions of other students they hang out with. Hoffert’s final piece of advice was to focus on their goals and their futures.
DARE Officers Ray Navarro and Allen Danko presented Hoffert and Chief Academic Officer David Robertson with a special banner to honor the partnership between the police department and the school. Sept. 19 will mark 30 years that the DARE program has been taught at Warsaw schools.
There were a number of students presented with awards. Some of the awards received are listed below.
2018 Student of the Year Awards
Sacred Heart Catholic School – Joey Rostrelli
Jefferson – Sarah UM
Claypool – Scout Shilling
Lincoln – Isiah Lara
Eisenhower – Alexsys Pion Durst
Leesburg – Jesus Campos
Washington – Cameron Manuel
Madison – Claire Reichenbach
Harrison – Aubrey Harp
2018 DARE ESSAY WINNERS
Aaron Ross
Ana Brito
Jadyn Mcleod
Anessa Stutzman
Madeline Caskey
Bentley Dye
Bronwyn Harrison
Claire Sprankle
Elizabeth Rivera
Rylan Cooper
Joaquin Viera
Zoe Rice
Yesenia Alvarado
Anamaria Martinez
Carl Clevenger
Khareus Miller
Angelica Sarabia
Sophia Seymour
Alyssa Owens
Thomas Solloway
Milind KumarI
Jessica Holcomb
Courtney Aranda
Elizabeth Vander Bie
Elizabeth Osborn
2018 Officers Choice Award Winners
SACRED HEART
Maddie McSherry
Dee Dee Polk
Tyler Swartz
JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY
Avery Jenkins
Matt Hotchkin
Rylan Smith
Abbi Kohler
Laci Dubbeld
Nick Moore
Macy Carlile
Jayda Rife
Ashton Baker
Kelsey Hollen
CLAYPOOL ELEMENTARY
Grant Horton
Cameron Mason
Taryn Enochs
Abbie Mark
Emma Landrum
Jailynn Evans
Tanner Drang
Taylor Drang
Ashlyn Borkholder
Madeline Caskeu
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY
Amelia Alexander
Abbigail Burelison
Avimael Fugate
Leah Forshtay
Elijah Banes
Juan Araujo
Elondra Flores
Julian Saldivar
Hallelujah Davis
Nathan Christenberry
EISENHOWER ELEMENTARY
Issac Beam
Hope Wilson
JW McCleary
Gavin Hood
Olivia Mabee
Carli Butt
Dakota Bannon
Megan Lothamer
Emily Kimball
Chase Carl
LEESBURG ELEMENTARY
Garrett Sauter
Landon Frame
Ryan Reber
Oivia Harvey
David Montoya
Mahala Shepherd
Aiden Meadows
Erica Martinez
Lucas Johnson
Sarah Handy
Melissa Ochoa
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY
Taylor Hobbs
Sarah Kratzsch
Aiden Carr
Phillip Lowry
Wyatt Stamper
Marissa Howett
Josh Smith
Skylar Campbell
Kaitlin Lindsey
Sergio Alvarado
Dylan Hurd
Amberlee Busz
Kelsey Cox
Ava Wetzel
Luke Yeager
Marissa Howett
MADISON ELEMENTARY
Hadley Burbrink
Isabelle Hermann
Angelina Miller
Jayla Barhydt
Molly Kissling
Haley Rodewald
Megan Silveus
Emilia Aram
Dassa Lancaster
Jayla Ounkham
HARRISON ELEMENTARY
Addison Mehlberg
Samantha Hartman
Maddie Allebach
Vicente Martinez
Daisy Palacios
Shashank Upadhyay
Dulce Contreres
Yandina Escobar
Sarah Victoriano
Audri Jimenez