Whitfield DARE Essay Winners Honored By Kiwanis, Sheriff's Office

Erick Rios, a fifth-grader at Eastside Elementary School, wrote about the death of  his uncle from a drug overdose, saying the tragedy has taught him a valuable lesson.

“After everything I have learned, I now pledge to never do drugs, drink alcohol, or even discriminate or hurt anyone because anything you say or do to yourself or someone else can affect your own body or another person’s body,” Erick said in his essay, honored as the best out of the hundreds written by about 1,000 Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) graduates in 13 Whitfield County elementary schools.

Rios and 12 other school-level winners were honored by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office and the Kiwanis Club of Dalton during their 11^th annual DARE recognition program May 16 at the Dalton Trade Center.

“I think if you ask any of the adults in this room, they’ll tell you it’s important to learn, but it’s just as important to learn to communicate what you’ve learned to other people, to tell people what you’ve learned and to teach others and pass that information along,” said Kiwanian Bert Poston, district attorney and emcee of the DARE recognition program since it began.

“That’s what you’ve done – you’ve shown that ability  by writing these essays and communicating what you learned in the DARE program,” Poston told the students. “And that’s so important.”

As first-place winner for the county, Rios received a wooden plaque and a $100 prize. Callie White of Westside Elementary earned second-place honors, receiving a plaque and $50, while Jack Defalco of Beaverdale Elementary was third, taking home a plaque and $20.

Other school-level winners who were recognized during the program – with family, school officials, and Kiwanians looking on – included:

Hannah Grace Kornberg, Cohutta

Lisette Rodriguez, Varnell

Kalyn Chambers, New Hope

Bailey Mitchell, Pleasant Hope

Cristiany Pineda, Cedar Ridge

Jade Bearden, Valley Point

Johnny Vega, Antioch

Marlee Fossett, Dawnville

Julian Hernandez, Dug Gap

Rylie Brown, Tunnel Hill.

Whitfield County Sheriff Scott Chitwood praised the county school system, including Superintendent Dr. Judy Gilreath, for allowing his officers to come into the schools and teach the DARE program for the past 26 or 27 years.

“We feel very strongly that through the DARE education program,” Chitwood said, “if we can change one life, then it’s been a success. We’re always asked, does it make a difference? And I think it does. This year with the graduates that we had and their essays, I’m as impressed with  this group as any graduating class that we’ve had for the DARE program. Dr. Gilreath, you have much to be proud of with these students. I honestly think these are the leaders of tomorrow, and I’ve never said that at this program. They are very, very bright young men and women that are representing our community as fifth graders and young leaders.”

The sheriff also thanked the Kiwanis Club for their support of the recognition program for 11 years. “I hope this luncheon certainly identifies and recognizes the fact that you support our efforts with the Sheriff’s Office,” Chitwood said, “but more importantly you’re supporting these young people and recognizing their accomplishments.”

Also on hand for the recognition program to present the awards to each of the essay winners were DARE leader Lt. Wayne Mathis and instructors, Sgts. Tammy Silvers and Darlene Crider and deputies Ron Kirby and Nathan Center.