DARE Carnival Culminated Year-Long Education on Drugs, Alcohol

The held the very first DARE carnival for the township's fifth-graders who successfully completed the first-year program.

After years of promoting DARE through the police car only, Officer Michael Czarzasty—with the help of Lt. Tim Young and then-Chief Steve Fowles—went through training to teach the cirriculcum at , and schools.

Once a month, Czarzasty taught nine classes about drugs, alcohol, marijuana and more. Upon completion of the program, Czarzasty organized a picnic held Monday at Wood Park. The Willingboro SWAT team, Army and Navy units, as well as a rock wall, limited-vision go karts, basketball, inflatable rides and music courtesy of Fowles were featured.

The Evesham K-9 unit was there, as well as Reef Fitness, who gave a soccer fitness clinic to kids. 

Czarzasty said the students have responded really well to the DARE program, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. 

"I go outside the box and use news and media, too," Czarzasty said. "I try to make it more interesting to them."

Czarzasty said he talked about "spice," an herbal incense used as a recreational drug—something that's getting popular in the drug culture. He also used talked to the kids about salvia, a psychoactive plant recently in the news after popular teen idol Miley Cyrus was caught smoking it on video.

The officer said he often uses graphic pictures, videos and more to convey his message.

Also, each student had to write an essay, short story, song or poem in reference to the DARE program. Winners were awarded iPod Shuffles. Czarzasty sent one student's essay to DARE New Jersey. Rush fifth-grader Melanie Andrews has her essay, "Johnny's True Power," featured on the group's website.

Czarzasty originally was interested in promoting DARE in schools after a string of drug-related deaths hit Cinnaminson High School in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a few years after he graduated from there.

"I don't want kids to fall into that same situation," he said. 

The carnival was a thank-you to the kids.

"It's an appreciation for them, to show them there's always a positive end to something. You work hard, you get a reward," he said.