Clinton Elementary School students are in the middle of the annual DARE program led by Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers and School Resource Officer Mike Bennett. 

According to Chief Lowers, the first few weeks of the program are an introduction to their topics and then they move right into heavy topics like the impacts of drinking and drugs on young people.

The DARE program broaches some heavy subjects like drinking and drugs and bullying and the Chief indicates while one might think it might be tough to talk to students about those subjects, he says the kids are very open and willing to even talk about their situations.

While the program teaches the students great life lessons about drugs, alcohol, bullying, and relationships, the Chief continues to tout its benefits of exposing the youth to positive interactions with uniformed police officers.

As the kids get into junior high and high school, they will then be introduced to Officer Bennett's self-awareness course. Chief Lowers says the first DARE class Bennett led has been taking his self-awareness class at the junior high level this semester.