Mahopac fifth graders recently celebrated the culmination of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program with special end-of-year events. Throughout the school year, Carmel Police Officer Vincent Serio visited fifth grade classrooms at Austin Road, Fulmar Road and Lakeview elementary schools each week to lead DARE lessons focused on making safe and responsible choices. Students learned about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, the risks associated with vaping and smoking, strategies for handling peer pressure and the importance of effective decision-making.
The year-end celebration gave students a final and up-close look at the work of local law enforcement agencies. Highlights included demonstrations by police K-9 units from the Carmel and Kent police departments, specialized police and emergency response vehicles and a drone demonstration showcasing how technology can assist officers during emergencies. Lakeview Elementary School also received a special visit from the Westchester County Police Department helicopter unit which landed on the field behind the school.
“Officer Serio and our law enforcement partners did an outstanding job helping students understand the importance of making positive choices and being responsible members of their community,” Superintendent of Schools Frank Miele said. “The DARE program teaches lessons that extend far beyond the classroom, and these celebrations were a great way to recognize our students’ hard work while strengthening the positive relationships they have built with local law enforcement throughout the year.”
The events were made possible through the collaboration of multiple law enforcement agencies and personnel who volunteered their time to engage with students. In addition to Officer Serio, participating officers included Carmel Police Officer Vincent DeSantola and K-9 Pietro, Officer Vincent Rocco and Sgt. Danny Shea; Kent Police Sgt. Ryan Piekarski and K-9 Saber; Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Tom Curran; Westchester County Police Department pilots Officer Alexander Dzhurayev and Officer Rich Lepore and Yorktown Police Officer Timothy Mullen, all of whom helped provide students with an engaging and memorable conclusion to the yearlong program.
