DARE camp rewards student who complete 10-week course

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – A group of elementary students learned about self-respect, healthy lifestyles and making friends with law enforcement officers.

It’s all part of the annual “DARE” Camp hosted by Tupelo Police.

For the past two weeks, students from four elementary schools have been meeting every day, for DARE Camp.

They are all graduates of the 10 week DARE class.

“We talk about making good healthy choices for themselves, how to stay out of sticky situations, people using alcohol, drugs or tobacco so they can make a good healthy choice for themselves, not to choose to do that and we talk about bullying,” said CPL. Richard Franklin, with the Tupelo Police Dept.

Campers also get to take part in activities and field trips. They visited the Tupelo Aquatic Center and the Oren Dunn Museum,  they went bowling and had a trip to Bay Springs Lake and also learned about the history of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

DARE Camp is also an opportunity for police to continue building bridges with young people in the community.

Corporal Franklin said the soon to be sixth graders learn they can trust law officers.

“It’s important young people realize we are fathers ourselves, we have families and we care about people, safety of people, their safety, we try to encourage them if they see a crime being committed, someone being abused , they can come and talk to us without any reprimand or without having to feel scared of the police,” said CPL. Franklin.

Students said the camp was a fun way to spend part of their summer break.

“What I like about DARE Camp, is how we get to go on field trips, get to meet old friends and get to meet new friends,” said AC Fears.

“I like when all of us, we play basketball and Mr. Franklin teaches us to play basketball because some of us really don’t know how,” said Desirae Mallard.

All of the DARE Camp supervisors are also school resource officers.

DARE Camp is provided at no cost to the students.