Chief Chris Elrod, speaking at the Coffee County Board of Education meeting on Dec. 11, presented the district’s DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program results and read excerpts of the countywide winning essay by fifth-grader Dequan Tufelmeyer. "We've had a blast," Elrod said of officers teaching DARE classes and added that the curriculum teaches students decision-making steps — define, assess, respond and evaluate — and five resistance strategies to avoid substance use.

Elrod named the eight elementary-school winners: Bailey Carter (Ambrose), Jackson Eldridge (Brogden), Claire Fussell (Eastside), Abigail Nungbluth (Indian Creek), Emmett Frost (Nichols), Aliyah Moses (Saultill), Amir Coats (West Spring) and Dequan Tufelmeyer (Westside), who also won the countywide essay. Elrod said the countywide winner received a PlayStation 5.

District leaders described this year's DARE curriculum as updated to include stronger decision-making and resistance strategy components and said officers Crockett and Wilkerson helped lead classes. The recognition segment emphasized partnership between schools and law enforcement to teach students the risks of drug and gang involvement and to promote student safety.

The board and district staff thanked students, families and officers for their participation; organizers said DARE activities this year included in-class sessions and school events such as kickball and pizza parties to reinforce lessons.

The board meeting then moved on to awards and regular business. The district indicated it will continue the DARE program and the associated classroom and community activities into the coming year.