The temperature at Stan Newman Field on 64th Street in North Bergen might have reached 95 degrees Wednesday afternoon, but that wasn’t going to stop nearly 700 fifth graders from the township’s school district from having a good time.
After all, it was the fourth annual DARE Day for the students who had completed the 16-week course on Drug Abuse Resistance in Education, learning the evils of drug and alcohol abuse, and it was a day to be congratulated for their efforts and just have fun.
So what was a little heat going to do to dampen the festivities?
In fact, the North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue did their best to cool the students down by sprinkling them with a fire hose.
“The fire truck kept hosing us down,” said DARE graduate Ishita Madan, a fifth grader at Franklin School. “It was so much fun getting wet. We all loved it. It was part of our reward for a job well done.”
For 10 years now, the DARE program has been part of the regular grade school curriculum. For the last eight years, Police Officer Joe Sitty has taught the classes and organized the program.
“The kids have been talking about this day for months,” Sitty said. “They’re all able to come together and have a fun day. They did all the hard work in the classroom for months, and now, this is their day to let loose and have fun. It’s awesome to see all the smiles on the kids’ faces. It’s the most rewarding part of this job.”
Sitty and his DARE partner, Officer Arthur “Pete” Del, go to all the respective fifth grade classes and teach the program.
“Every week, we go into the classrooms,” Del said. “It’s a lot of hard work for the kids. There are projects and reports. There is writing. It’s regular school work. They get a regular grade for their participation. This day is their celebration and reward for a job well done. It’s a way for them to blow off some steam.”
There were rides and games for the students, like a rock-climbing mountain and a bungee jump. There were musical performances by their own students and by local recording artist Lori Michaels, who brought her “Reach Out” dancers with her to perform. Michaels is a North Bergen resident who has participated in all four DARE Day celebrations.
“It’s all positive activities, allowing kids to be kids,” Sitty said. “I love teaching the program. I’ve been doing it for eight years and I could do it another 28 years.”
Four years ago, township and Board of Education officials decided to give the students a reward for successfully completing the DARE program. Thus, the DARE Day was conceived.
“It’s a way of saying thanks to the kids for all their hard work and the time they put into the program,” said North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, who was on hand once again for the festivities. “The kids seem to enjoy the program, but this day enables them to enjoy the fruits of their labor. It’s their reward. It’s meant to be an enjoyable day.”
The kids were also treated to refreshments, while also participating in a contest between local police departments for who had the best police car. Several municipalities sent representative vehicles to participate in the contest. The Mahwah car came first, followed by Point Pleasant Beach and Union Township. When the parade of police vehicles arrived, the children flocked to them.
“It means a lot when you have your comrades come in and volunteer their time,” said Sitty, who was named the state DARE Officer of the Year last month. “Police work is truly a brotherhood and sisterhood.”
Officers from Hillsborough, Little Egg Harbor, the United States Coast Guard and the New Jersey State Police all volunteered their time to aid the cause.
“It’s truly a community event,” Sitty said. “We get great support from the township, from Mayor Sacco, from the Board of Education, from the police department. I think everyone realizes that these kids are our future and they have to be protected now. This is our way to let them realize how much we appreciate them.”
Fifth grader Jesenia Liz, also a Franklin School student, loved the entire day.
“We did a lot of hard stuff in the classroom, so this was our way to get something in return,” Liz said. “I learned that we shouldn’t do drugs and that we should try to help others not do drugs or alcohol. I know that I can have fun without doing those things.”
And of course, Liz loved getting soaked on a school day. “It was really refreshing, getting hit with the hose,” Liz said. “It made us feel cool.”
They also realized that it was cool not to do drugs.
“If we just sent a message to one or two kids, then we’ve done our job,” Del said. “If we can make a difference with just a handful, then that’s what it’s all about.”
One can only hope. But if Dare Day 2004 was any indication, chances are that these youngsters will stay far away from the evils of drug abuse.
“You can see their enthusiasm,” Sacco said. “They feel comfortable with the DARE officers. It’s a nice day for them. The energy is amazing. This is proof that the program works. I’m proud of these kids. They deserved this. They’re having a lot of fun.”
John Zaiton of Horace Mann won the raffle for a new bicycle and bike helmet that was donated by Toys R Us of North Bergen.