Most Holy Redeemer Recognizes D.A.R.E. Essay Winners

EVERGREEN PARK, IL -- Most Holy Redeemer students Matthew Hynes, Emily Mangin, Anna Sise and Danny Speski were recognized at a school assembly for writing the best essay in a competition among 40 fifth-graders at the Catholic school. The essay was a graduation requirement for a 10-week D.A.R.E. course recently completed by MHR students.

The fifth-graders were asked to write an essay describing what they have learned from the D.A.R.E. program, which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The essays are often narratives of personal experiences of bullying or peer pressure and explain how the students will use or have used the D.A.R.E. decision-making model to overcome those challenges.

The D.A.R.E. curriculum is taught by the Evergreen Park Police Department to students in schools throughout the community. Officer Patrick Cunico taught students good decision making while building trust between the community and law enforcement.

Following are excerpts from the winning essays:

Emily Mangin: “I pledge to make good choices in my life, avoid drugs and alcohol, and to always be a good friend to others.”
Anna Sise: “Your parents trust you. They know you are responsible child. Is this a risk worth taking? You never know what could happen.”
Matthew Hynes: “I know D.A.R.E will help me make the right decisions to help me in the future.”
Danny Speski: “I am grateful to Officer Cunico for helping to the learn about the D.A.R.E. Program. It has given me ways to know how to stand up for what I believe in and to know what is good and bad for me in my life.”