HCSO Hosts DARE Program Graduation At Chattanooga School For The Liberal Arts

Sheriff Austin Garrett, School Resource Deputy and D.A.R.E. Instructor Joseph Dangler, and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Deputy Unit, in conjunction with the administration of the Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts, hosted a DARE graduation ceremony Monday for students who recently completed the program.

This graduation class signifies the third academic year D.A.R.E. has been taught at Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts and during Monday’s inaugural event, 86 students graduated from the program. By the conclusion of this school year, approximately 1,000 students will have graduated the program county-wide since it was re-instituted in our schools in 2022.

"This marks the third D.A.R.E. graduation to take place at Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts and this program has become an important part of their yearly curriculum," said Sheriff Garrett. "My administration recognizes the significant impact of the D.A.R.E. Program, not only in combating drug addiction among youth, but also in instilling essential life lessons and values. Given the alarming rise in overdoses and overdose-related deaths across our state and nation, as well as the increase in juvenile violence, there has never been a more crucial time to teach and expand the D.A.R.E. Program in Hamilton County."

In order to be a DARE Instructor, potential candidates are vetted by DARE mentors responsible for training new law enforcement personnel. The candidate must also be a POST-certified, uniformed law enforcement officer with at least two or more years of service and must successfully complete a rigorous 80-hour training course conducted by mentors with a significant number of years of classroom experience, as well as university-level educators from colleges of education. This coursework does not include the many additional hours of study and after-hours work required to test for the certification.

“I am extremely proud of School Resource Deputy and D.A.R.E. Instructor, Joseph Danger, for his hard work and dedication to the safety and education of the students at CSLA,” said Sheriff Garrett.

As part of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office D.A.R.E. Program, participating schools host an annual essay contest, inviting students to reflect on what they've learned and how the program has impacted their lives.

This year’s first place was awarded to Ella Ewalt for her thoughtful and inspiring essay. In addition to Ella’s essay, 5th Grade students Maggie Lee Thompson won 2nd place and Grayson Smith won 3rd place in the contest.

To read Ella’s winning essay, click here.

“I am extremely proud of Ella Ewalt," said Sheriff Garrett. "Her essay clearly demonstrates the positive impact the D.A.R.E. Program has had on her life, highlighting how it’s helped her understand the importance of making responsible choices and recognizing the dangers of bullying. She also emphasizes the value of speaking up and refusing to be a bystander when others are being mistreated. What she has learned reinforces just how important this program is—and why bringing it back into our county’s schools has been such a priority for me."

The HCSO is also hosting a county-wide D.A.R.E. Essay competition to which Ella’s essay will be entered with the winning students from other schools where there HCSO’s D.A.R.E. Program is being taught. The winner of this county-wide contest will be announced later this school year once all the programs conclude.

The HCSO would like to thank the administration and staff at CSLA as well as the Hamilton County Department of Education for their support in making this program possible for students.

For more information about the DARE Program, please visit: https://dare.org