Warmer weather gives way to the annual graduation season for high school seniors. It also a time for another kind of graduation ceremony that focuses on younger students making a commitment to staying drug and alcohol-free and making good choices. Bucyrus sixth grade students will graduate from the D.A.R.E. program during a special ceremony at 1 p.m. in the Middle School gymnasium Friday.

The D.A.R.E. program gives students the opportunity to meet and interact with local law enforcement officers while they are still in the formative stages of their lives. Working with students at this age gives Crawford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Martin the opportunity to show students a side of law enforcement they don’t normally see.

“I think it is important that a Deputy can go into a classroom and instruct students on everything from safety to knowing the dangers of drugs and making good choices,” Deputy Martin said. “We want them to know that officers care and we are not out there to just arrest someone or write someone a ticket.”

The Crawford County D.A.R.E. program is completing its 26th year, and serves approximately 3,000 students from eight different schools in Crawford County. The program is supported by Crawford County Sheriff Scott Kent, and receives a small grant from the Ohio Attorney General’s office.

“I want to personally thank Sheriff Kent and Deputy Martin for their work in making the D.A.R.E. program available in Bucyrus City School District,” Bucyrus Superintendent Kevin Kimmel said. “This will be an outstanding graduation ceremony, and my hope is our students will carry the lessons learned in the D.A.R.E. program with them the rest of their lives.”

The graduation ceremony is open to the public. To learn more about the Crawford County D.A.R.E. program, please contact Crawford County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Martin at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office at 419-562-7906.