Chloe Smith, A-HGS, JH DARE Poster Winner

Chloe proudly shows off her large banner made from her winning poster. She is congratulated by Atwood Police Chief Rob Bross.

By Doris Elmore
Staff Writer

Chloe Smith, 6th grade student at Atwood-Hammond Grade School/Jr. High, had the winning poster in her 5th grade class in the local DARE poster contest held this past year. Each DARE student was to design a poster based on a public service announcement.

Chloe’s poster is based on Truth or Dare. Her truth points out that more than 400,000 Americans die from tobacco related causes each year; smoking causes heart disease and lung cancer; alcohol slows down the brain and body; there are 75,000 alcohol related deaths each year in the U.S.; negative peer pressure is bad and bullying is NOT okay.

She DARE’s people to be a leader; DARE to be healthy, DARE to play sports; DARE to be a good friend; DARE to be creative; DARE to be you and DARE to be unique. Chloe wants everyone to say NO to drugs and say YES to life.

This is the first year for the DARE program at A-HGS taught by Arthur Police Chief Mike Goodman since Kristin Nall has been A-H Principal.

DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. It is an education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. It was founded in Los Angeles in 1983 as a joint initiative of then-LAPD chief Daryl Gates and the Los Angeles Unified School District as a demand-side drug control strategy of the American War on Drugs.

Chloe is the daughter of Brandy Smith and Ben Conner. Her banner is sponsored by the Odd Fellows & Rebekahs.