This year’s D.A.R.E. graduation will be held at Louisville Elementary School, on Friday, April 6 at 9 a.m. The graduation ceremony will include 5th-grades students from all of the local public schools and Winston Academy.
The program will begin with a welcome from Louisville Police Sgt. Tonya McWhirter who has served as the D.A.R.E. officer for the past 16 years.
When asked about the importance of the D.A.R.E. program McWhirter said, “I think it allows the community to see that there are efforts that are taken from the community aspect, the Police Department and the schools. There is a push to get information out there that the kids might not necessarily know. She added that it also gives the students the opportunity to become friends with those in law enforcement and helps to reinforce the message that police officers are there to help and to protect.
Concerning the graduation ceremony she said, “It’s just the community coming together in support of our fifth-grade kids. And I think it’s important that they know that they are cared about, and that they are loved, and we want the best for them.”
Welcoming remarks by McWhirter will be followed by the posting of colors by the Louisville High School J.R.O.T.C., the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. Awards will be given for Student of the Year, Star Student, essay winners from each class, sticker winners from each class, and graffiti poster winners. Each student will also be awarded a certificate of completion.
Louisville Mayor Will Hill will address the graduation, followed by remarks from Chief of Police L.M. Claiborne, who will also introduce the guest speaker, Jae McIntosh.
McIntosh is a former Mississippi State University football player, and is a professional MMA fighter, who also teaches self defense classes in Starkville.
