Washington County D.A.R.E. looking for financial help
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Cpl. Pat Puskarich of the Washington County sheriff’s department talks to fifth-graders last week at Trinity South Elementary School during a D.A.R.E. presentation.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
A Trinity South Elementary School fifth-grader reacts last week as Cpl. Pat Puskarich of the Washington County sheriff’s department conducts a D.A.R.E. presentation.
For more than 20 years, Cpl. Pat Puskarich of the Washington County sheriff’s office has been a making a difference in the lives of thousands of students in schools across the county as part of the Washington County Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.
More commonly known as D.A.R.E., the program is taught in schools across the country. The curriculum covers not only drug abuse, but violence, bullying, internet safety and other high-risk issues affecting young people.
But finding money to pay for the program’s essentials, like workbooks, is becoming more and more difficult. And with expansion in his plans, Puskarich is now reaching out to the public for help.
“At first, I was told that I didn’t have to worry about raising money until learning recently that the account was down to one cent,” said Puskarich, known by his students as Deputy Pat. “We lost state funding some years ago, but always found some money.”
His salary is covered by the Washington County sheriff’s department, but for the past few years the cost of workbooks and other materials was not in the department’s budget. The Washington County district attorney’s office stepped forward and agreed to cover the $2,000 cost of materials out of a fund from forfeitures in criminal cases.
This year, District Attorney Gene Vittone again agreed to cover the cost, but asked Puskarich to coordinate his efforts with the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission, which also has a full-time drug education employee that works in area schools. Vittone said it’s part of a drug-fighting plan developed as part of the Washington Opioid Overdose Coalition. “I just want everyone working together,” he said.
Puskarich said he plans to set up a meeting with the commission, which offers a curriculum to students that has been researched and proven to produce positive outcomes. The WDAC prevention department also serves on the Student Assistance Program teams in the schools.
Sheriff Sam Romano said the loss of state funding about 10 years ago hurt, but because he believes the program is worthwhile, he found money in his budget to continue it. “However, we can scrape by,” he said.
Puskarich said the program is taught to students in fifth or sixth grades. The participating school district selects what grades will be taught D.A.R.E., offered in either the first or second semester of the school year.
The program started during the 1995-96 school years in the McGuffey and Avella districts. It expanded 12 years ago, when Romano took office to include Bentworth, Bethlehem-Center, Charleroi, Faith Christian, Fort Cherry, John F. Kennedy, Ringgold and Trinity. D.A.R.E. expanded again this school year, adding Burgettstown Area School District and Home School Co-Op. Puskarich said he is in 17 school buildings throughout the course of the two semesters, often crisscrossing the county from one school building to another.
“It is a very worthwhile program,” Romano said. “I would not want to see it go by the wayside. It covers so much, not just drugs, but hot topics like cyberbullying.”
Puskarich believes the program has a positive impact on the children and is more important than ever given the heroin epidemic plaguing the country.
“At the end of the program, the kids do a report,” Puskarich said. “Many have indicated they would like to also have it taught at the middle school and even the high school.”
“If we had the funding for that, we could try,” he added. “But right know, we are struggling to stay afloat.”
Romano said he would also like to see an expansion of the program, saying it is done in other states.
While the program in the elementary school is done over 12 weeks of a semester, Puskarich said the middle-school program is six weeks long while the high school program is five weeks.
Puskarich estimates that he has taught more than 15,000 students over the past 23 years.
“My first students are 31 or 32 years old,” Puskarich said. “I still see a lot of them.”
He proudly points out many have gone on to become teachers, principals, attorneys and police officers. Puskarich said he likes to keep in touch with former students, often stopping by sporting or other events to see them. Sometimes, he might stop in the school’s cafeteria during lunch.
“I think is also helps if you stay in touch,” he added. “I try to form a friendship with them.”
Chartiers-Houston, Peters Township and Washington school districts also offer D.A.R.E. programs that are financed by the districts or the municipalities within the district.
“We believe in this program,” Chartiers police Chief James Horvath said.
Sgt. Steven Horvath teaches the program to fifth-grade students at Allison Elementary School and sixth-grade students at Central Assembly of God. The chief said Central Assembly pays for the materials for its students.
A GoFundMe page has been established in an attempt to raise $15,000 in order to continue the program provided through the sheriff’s office. A link to the GoFundMe page for the program is available on the Washington County Dare Facebook page.
Romano said he has had former D.A.R.E. students who are now adults tell him how the program helped them stay away from drugs. “If we can help a couple of kids, we’re doing something,” he said.