Seguin Gazette Feature on ChicaGirl as D.A.R.E. Ambassador |
 |
 |
 |
|
Written by CG Girl
|
|
Friday, 09 October 2009 03:25 |
Area students attend Seguin PD DARE program
By Jessica Sanders
The Gazette-Enterprise
Published May 08, 2008
SEGUIN — Hundreds of aspiring singers, surgeons and sports heroes packed the stands of Goldie Harris Gym.
“I’m going to be an actress and become famous with my best friend, Amy Bouquet,” explained Kaitlyn Shanafelt, a fifth-grader at Jefferson Avenue Elementary.
About 1,800 fifth-graders at Wednesday’s South Texas Youth Ambassadors’ Rally were encouraged to stay true to their goals — no matter how lofty — by keeping away from drugs, alcohol and gang activity.
Though Kaitlyn already has a career goal in sight, she said she was impressed by Wednesday’s roster of speakers including radio personality Johnny Rodriguez, Miss Teen Texas USA Lauren Guzman, Singer Rebecca Valadez and many more.
“I think it’s really important how they told people to stay in school, stay away from drugs and follow their dreams,” she said.
Students shouted out career goals from veterinarian to professional wrestler during the program, which included 20 schools from the San Antonio area. However, the speakers pointed out that dreams quickly become far from reality for those who choose drugs.
Toni Jimenez, founder of teen-oriented “ChicaGirl” magazine, said that saying “No” doesn’t stop when you’re an adult.
“I say ‘No,” all the time — when an alcohol company wants to advertise with my magazine, I just say ‘No.’ When a cigarette company wants to advertise with my magazine, I just say ‘No,’” she told the students. “If I can do it, you can do it.”
The rally was hosted by the Seguin Police Department DARE program, and included music, freebies and fun. Though the message was serious, the event sounded more like a rock concert with students cheering, laughing and stomping their feet or even coming onto the floor to dance during the presentations.
Inspirational speaker Gabe Salazar kept the crowd in stitches with his comic stylings and tales of growing up in San Antonio.
However, his message also contained a more serious tale about his sister’s struggle with methamphetamine use.
“I know what it’s like to hear someone screaming in the middle of the night, or throwing up because of the withdrawal symptoms of these drugs,” he said, adding that his sister has since cleaned up her life, married and had a child. “Unfortunately, her baby was born with serious defects because of drug use.”
The importance of the message was not lost on students like Koy Kunkel, a Koennecke Elementary fifth-grader. Koy said he loved Salazar’s jokes and quips, but was shocked to hear the long-term effects drugs had on the speaker’s sister.
“I didn’t know drugs could do that to a person after they quit,” he said.
Though in other ways, Koy is an expert on the dangers of substance abuse. He is among more than 500 local students who graduated from the SPD’s DARE program by participating in the program over several weeks and writing a final essay. The graduates were treated to a ceremony at their schools and were also the students chosen to attend Wednesday’s rally.
“The essay was the hardest part,” he admitted. “But it was worth it.” |
Home
Back Issues
ChicaGirl Blog
About Us
CG Shop
