A total of 138 Grade 6 students graduated from DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) at its fifth annual graduation ceremony on June 17, held at the Comp School Cafetorium.

The DARE program is intended to teach young children about the dangers of drug and substance abuse, focusing on areas like stress, peer pressure and learning to say no. Students graduate if they show good attendance, write an essay and stay free of drugs for the year.

Const. Melinda Mintenko and Const. Caroline Chartrand of the Weyburn Police Service were this year's DARE instructors.

Each student received a T-shirt, donated by the Weyburn Young Fellows, upon graduating from the program.

Six students were chosen to read their essays at the grad ceremony, including Brenna Moser, Brittney Delanoy, Mitchell McCallum, Deborah Nikkel, Katie Lee and Kate Andrews.

Assiniboia Park Elementary School students graduating from DARE are Patrick Acton, Cody Bercha, Barry Bierman, Jordan Chuckry, Michelle Corrigan, Marissa Dodge, Craig Dunham, Raylene Dupont, Kelsey Ermel, Leah Dueck, Nikolas Georgacacos, Henry Gong, Marc Henderson, Mitchell Hill, Jordan Hopfe, Christopher Kopytko, Brooke Kwochka, Mitchell McCallum, Dylan McDonald, Jayme Nagy, Logan Ochitwa, Alyssa Postnikoff, Jackson Schneider, Maria Siourounis, Steven Ursu, Jessica Walker, Kayla Wheler and Erica Williams.

St. Dominic Savio School DARE graduates are split into two groups. The first group includes R.J. Arts, Rory Bax, Janaille Bazin, Kym Berling, Sengine Boychuk, Cameron Ellerbeck, Aliesha Gall, Dustin Herlick, Linette Hogan, Ariel Laidlaw, Ryan Lawrenz, Chris Lee, Laurae McIvor, Brenna Moser, Teagan Pragnell, Ayla Schachtel, Brett Schmidt, Justin Sidloski, Jesse Storle, Adam Swertz, Christian Szabo, Paige Van De Sype, Courtney Walkeden, Chantelle Weyland, Kortney Whyte, Elsie Winter and Ashley Ziegler.

The second group includes Kale Babiarz, Rikki Bell, Kaitlin Bonokoski, Kaitlyn Coghill, Andrew Cretin, Brittney Delanoy, Raquel Dimmick, Matthew Dreis, Dante Elig, Teassa Chicoine, Tristan Haupstein, Kaitlyn Hill, Kaylyn Jensen, Kyle Kot, Robyn Lee, Zackery Lokken, Evan Mass, Alana Mazurkewich, Thomas Megenbir, Carly Miller, Kyle Paterson, Robert Pickering, Brook Porter, Tyler Pyett, Tamlyn Sabados, Whitnee Sidloski, Jenna Vertefeuille and Paige Grams.

Souris School graduates include Carlin Beckman, Colby Bill, Jesse Cossette, Dustin De Vries, Megan De Vries, Brandon Dugas, Shalisa Georghiades, Andrew Martel, Kelsey Grams, Claudia Harry, Kaitlyn Howells, Jordan Kerr, Taylor Kwochka, Erica Maas, Brandin Mader, Micah Martens, Deborah Nikkel, Leslie Pelletier, Gordan Renes, Jada Sweigard, Dylan Unrau and Dixie Goodwin.

Haig Elementary School graduates are split into two groups. The first group includes Kate Andrews, Ryan Dickson, Scott Fitzpatrick, Brandon Fraser, Ashley Gibbons, Dylan Grant, Nigel Heath, Nicole Rebrinsky, Darcy Jacobson, Codi Jensen, Stephanie LaVallee, Derek Martineau, Anthony Payton, Alannah Penny, Brett Penny, Brodie Rodine, Loissa Russell, Elana Stack, Kevin Thomas-Simpson, Britta Von Hagen, Renee Wanner and Jenna Hehn.

The second group includes Kyle Fawcett, Steven Forseth, Nadene Frank, Brooke Gibbons, Tanner Hallberg, Rebecca Kabatoff, Darby Laurent, Chelsey Leas, Katrina Lee, Jaycee McLenaghan, Bradley Mryglod, Camisha Rainey, Andrew Raymond, Steven Shorthouse, Brandon Smith, Cale Szeponski, Samantha Thomson, Jonathan Tougas, Emily Unrau, Jackson Wagner and Chelsea Ziolkowski.