DARE is back.

After a one-year absence, the popular anti-drug and alcohol program has been re-implemented in the fifth grades of Napa city elementary schools.

Because of city budget woes, DARE — Drug Abuse Resistance Education — was cut from the elementary schools for the school year 2007-08.

But the city has come up with about $50,000 to pay for police officers’ salaries to teach the program, and the DARE and Safe School Foundation pledged about $25,000 for materials and training. As a result, the popular nationwide program is back in the elementary school curriculum.

Nine Napa police officers, dressed in their uniforms — complete with their firearms — teach the 10-week program, visiting campuses one day a week.

DARE not only teaches the youngsters how to avoid the pitfalls of alcohol and drugs, it has also included teaching coping skills to deal with gang pressure and bullying.

Napa Police Officer Brian Campagna teaches the DARE class at Alta Heights Elementary School.

“The kids are really enthusiastic about the program. It teaches them to make good decisions about drug and alcohol use. I think it’s also very important to get the message to these kids when they are young,” Campagna said. “They pick up on this stuff fast. Kids today are pretty sharp.”

Last Monday, Campagna made his weekly visit to teacher Michael Cavalli’s fifth-graders.

The youngsters immediately perked up when Campagna told them to get out their DARE workbooks and said that they would be talking about friendships that day.

“What’s the difference between a good friend and bad friend?” Campagna asked the class.

Hands shot up throughout the room and students started shouting out answers.

“Dependable,”

“Doesn’t let you down.”

“Can keep a secret.”

“Is there when you feel bad.”

Ten-year-old Kyle Sager told the Register the DARE program has “made me understand what is behind this stuff. I feel after ingesting all of this DARE stuff, I can make better decisions.”

Dominique Peddie, 11, said, “DARE is good because using drugs and alcohol and getting into gangs can really make you suffer. It can keep you from your family and friends, and that’s not good.”

Napa Police Officer Debbie Peecook heads the law enforcement arm of the DARE program.

Jennifer Stewart, who is with the Napa County Office of Education and DARE Foundation board chair, works closely with the schools and law enforcement.

“DARE is a partnership between the schools, police and parents,” Peecook said.

Peecook said members of the Napa City Council wanted to get DARE back into the schools because “they believe it is a valuable tool in crime prevention.”

Peecook believes early intervention is one of the best ways to prevent youth from getting involved in gangs or drugs.

“We are very excited to the get the uniformed officers back in the schools teaching the DARE program,” she said. “It gives the kids a positive image of law enforcement.”

Stewart said she agrees.

“DARE is just part of the partnership between law enforcement and the schools. The foundation is always looking for ways to add more school resource officers,” she said.

The program is also targeting parents of the school children.

“We want them to get involved as well. We will be having meetings with the parents to enlighten them on the topics the DARE program teaches,” Stewart said.

The DARE program reaches about 1,200 Napa city fifth-graders.

The foundation exists on donations and fundraisers. Anyone wishing to donate may call Stewart at 259-5949 or Peecook at 257-9256.