5th graders receiving drug abuse education

School resource officers are teaching drug abuse education to  fifth grade Oconee County students.  The officers were certified after taking training last summer by the Richland Sheriff’s Office in Columbia.  The program “DARE” teaches students good decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives and cope with drug abuse and a barrage of other high-risk circumstances they face each day.  The ten-week program is being taught at the following Oconee elementary schools:  Blue Ridge, Northside, Orchard Park, Westminster Elementary, James Brown, and Tamassee-Salem.  Sheriff Crenshaw says he’s  further evaluating the program with the idea to possibly expand it to other grade levels and schools.