Features of the DARE curriculum include: 

• 10 lessons delivered over a 10 week period
• Lessons all run 40-45 minutes
• Lessons promote interaction between students and teachers
• Lessons feature fun activities that involve students in their own learning
• Lessons offer students the opportunity act out the REAL Strategies of Refuse, Explain, Avoid, and Leave
• Curriculum uses a series of videos produced by youth and based on students' real stories as a key learning tool.

Lessons: The DARE curriculum consists of 1O lessons designed to be taught in 40-45 minute segments. The lessons include a variety of teaching modalities aimed at encouraging student participation such as group work, role-playing, pair discussion and games. The lessons are designed to promote interaction among the students as well as between the students and the teacher, so that the students are involved in their own learning. 

Each lesson includes a lesson outline, an activity sheet with instructions, student worksheets for use in class and as homework, and notes to the teacher. Enjoyable activities are included to illustrate the skills and allow students to practice the REAL (Refuse, Explain, Avoid, and Leave) resistance strategies. Each lesson includes a homework assignment and, starting with lesson two, a review of the previous lesson's concepts. The students' performance on the homework worksheets allows teachers to assess how well they are grasping the skills and knowledge taught in class. Overheads, in-class worksheets and Spanish materials are provided. 

Program elements in addition to the basic DARE curriculum: DARE Officers work with the teachers, counselors and administrators to identify students having problems in school that may be related to bullying, problems at home, parents dealing with substance abuse issues and alcohol issues. DARE Officers work closely with the Community and Youth Outreach Unit (CYOU) to access additional resources for the youths and families. DARE Officers have been additionally trained to recognize the fact that the youths are having problems and get the family referred to our program, which utilizes two in house counselors who work for the CYOU. The focus is to help children and families deal with issues in the earlier stages rather than waiting until they become insurmountable problems later. 

DARE Officers have an additional lesson on prescription and over the-counter medications as well as how to read medication warnings and labels. 

The DARE Officers also have an extra session dealing with suicide issues, teaching additional coping skills along with who and how to ask for help. 

An extra session involves K9 officer and K9 come to the school and do a presentation on how the K9 works and how they help the Police Department fight crime. 

Blue Springs' DARE program hosts a DARE Graduation that seals the importance of the program with the students and celebrates their hard work. Parents are invited and Blue Springs has a high turnout rate for parents. Blue Springs Mayor, City Council members, Chief of Police and several officers attend the graduations, along with the Blue Springs School District Director of Elementary Education, which illustrates the support the City of Blue Springs places on this program. 

These additional lessons give the Blue Springs DARE Program 14 sessions with the students rather than the normal 10. The DARE Officers also instruct in Decision-Making Classes where youth who have made poor decisions and been referred to the Community and Youth Outreach Unit as a diversionary program with the Family Court. Officer Westerman teaches a Parenting class and Officer Foster teaches an Impulse Control class. 

The DARE Officers also take part in many initial intakes done by counselors to provide information to both the counselors and parents. They also assist with community service days where the youth are required to assist the city and school district as a part of their consequence for their poor decision. 

COMBAT Funding: $150,000.00