Grace Gore Urges Fifth-Graders To Value 'Your Time And Mind'

By STEPHANY NAPIER

Staff Intern

All the fifth-grade students in Greeneville's school system graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program on Wednesday in a ceremony at Hal Henard Elementary School.

Grace Gore, Miss Tennessee 2007, was the guest speaker to students from Tusculum View, Hal Henard, EastView, and Highland elementary schools.

Officer Brian Moore, the D.A.R.E. instructor for Greeneville City Schools and a Greeneville police officer, hosted the event.

In order to graduate, each student is asked to write an essay. One student from each elementary school is chosen for best essay.

The winners were: Makayla Sauceman, of Hal Henard; Natalie Ray, of Tusculum View; James Ricker, of EastView; and Jordan Ford, of Highland.

Each student received a medal and a $25 gift card from Wal-Mart, $10 gift card from Kmart, free rental from Popcorn Video, coupon for free ice cream from TCBY, buffet pass from Pizza Inn, $50 savings bond from Greeneville Federal Bank, and two tickets to a movie at Phoenix Theatres Towne Crossing 8.

D.A.R.E .Program

D.A.R.E. teaches kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs and violence.

It is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from K-12 about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and how to resist peer pressure.

Moore opened the program by welcoming the students. Then Linda Stroud, assistant director for administration on the city school board, spoke to the children about what to do when faced with peer pressure.

Miss Tennessee Speaks

Miss Tennessee is a full-time spokesperson for Gov. Phil Bredesen's Safe and Drug-Free Tennessee Program.

She spoke to the students about two priorities they have. The first priority she mentioned is time. "Once time is gone, it's gone," Miss Tennessee said, "What are you doing with your time?"

The second priority she told the students is the mind. Miss Tennessee said that the mind is too important to mess it up with drugs.

"Everything that makes me Grace Gore is up here," she said as she pointed to her head. "Remember your time and mind are so important; surround yourself with friends to bring you up and you'll go far," Miss Tennessee advised.

She then encouraged the students to notice the impact they have on those around them and she told them that when "they are doing good things, it encourages other people to do good things."

At the end of her message Miss Tennessee sang a song about having a good influence. The song was "For Good" from the Broadway play Wicked.