Nearly 1,000 North Bergen youngsters packed Bruins Stadium in North Hudson Braddock Park Wednesday morning for a day of fun-filled activities. It was the students’ reward for recognizing that drug and alcohol abuse can ruin people’s lives.
The students were all recent graduates of the township’s Drug and Alcohol Resistance in Education (DARE) program, and for the second straight year, both the Board of Education and the Police Department decided to reward the graduates (fifth grade students) with a special day filled with rides, music and activities.
There were inflatable rides and amusements. A monster truck pull called “Sudden Impact” roared through the field, causing the students to leap to their feet in excitement.
Local recording artist Laurie Michaels and her “Reach-Out” dance ensemble provided entertainment, even involving the DARE graduates in a dance contest.
Kennedy School fifth grade teacher Nancy Rivera had her class sing “Say No to Drugs” with new lyrics, using the music from the popular song, “Lean on Me.”
“DARE taught us for sure, to say no and walk away,” the kids sang. It was a moving moment.
There were snow cones, cotton candy, and popcorn for the kids, with members of the high school’s student council and Key Club organizing the distribution of the goodies.
Sure beats a day in the classroom.
You could tell by the smiles on the kids’ faces that they would much rather spend a day in the park, having a world of fun.
And it’s all because they were willing to “Say no to drugs.”
The DARE program has been a part of the Hudson County community for the last 16 years and has been instituted into North Bergen’s classrooms for the last 10 years.
In the program, the police department works with the Board of Education to teach a 17-week course to students about the evils of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as other issues such as violence, peer pressure, graffiti, and street gang associations.
In the decade since it has been part of the fabric of the North Bergen Board of Education and the township’s police department, more than 5,000 students have graduated from the 17-week program.
“We try to reach them at an early age,” said North Bergen High School guidance counselor John Belluardo, the chairman of the township’s Drug Alliance and the supervisor of the Board of Education’s START (Student Assistance Resource Team) program. “We have classes for the fifth graders and the eighth graders, because we feel that they’re the ones that need to be taught about resisting drugs, alcohol and violence. The program has worked wonders over the years.”
Officer Joe Sitty has been a law enforcement officer for 15 years, but nothing compares to the last six years as a DARE instructor.
“I love it and dedicate a lot of my time to it,” said Sitty, who serves as the president of the Hudson County DARE program and sits on the New Jersey state board. “I know that the program works and I’m really involved in it. It’s important that the kids know that they have someone they can talk to.”
Sitty teaches the DARE program, along with fellow officer Christine Dall.
“I personally believe that one of the things that parents are afraid to talk about with their kids is drugs,” Sitty said. “Being a law enforcement officer and being a father, I know the importance of being able to talk about it. They need the education, because the kids are our future. The kids really enjoyed themselves. It was a festive atmosphere and they were able to take what they got from the program and had a little fun as well.”
Superintendent of Schools Peter Fischbach applauded the program.
“I think there are two very important aspects in place here,” Fischbach said. “It’s a celebration of a year of dedication and hard work from both the children and the police department. The children are given the educational awareness to ‘Say No to Drugs.’ But it also shows them that the police officers are their friends and that they try to help. If they have problems, then can reach out to the police officers. It’s a good relationship between the schools and the police department working hand in hand.”
Sitty said that there are national survey results, done by Ohio University, that proves that the DARE program helps to keep the youngsters out of trouble.
“I’ve been teaching the program for five years now, and you definitely can see the results,” Sitty said. “The kids know that the police and the community care a great deal about them and want to see them succeed. And we teach them about more issues than just drugs, alcohol and violence. We’re helping with self-esteem and we’re building values. Peer pressure is a big thing out there, and we show them the consequences in getting involved in activities simply because your friends are doing it.”
Added Sitty, “We offer the opportunity for the kids to realize that they have someone they can talk to if they have problems. That as police officers, we care about them.”
North Bergen Police Chief Angelo Busacco believes the program works as well.
“It’s really a joy,” Busacco said. “I think it’s fun for everyone involved. You see the pure innocence and joy on the kids’ faces, but there’s an important message involved. I feel like we’re having a positive impact on the children. Our officers really enjoy the relationships they’ve made with the children.”
“The kids really enjoyed themselves,” Belluardo said. “It was their day. It was a reward for them.”