From The Mayor's Desk: It Takes A Village

From Johnston Mayor Paula Dierenfeld

Several times each year I am invited to participate in the graduation ceremonies of Johnston’s fifth graders from the 411 program.  It’s one of the really fun things I have the honor of doing as Johnston’s mayor.

Last Friday, I attended a 411 graduation at Lawson Elementary School.  The gymnasium was filled with proud parents and grandparents who applauded as their children received their certificates.  The crowd wore one big smile as the kids read their essays and showed off the t-shirts they had designed.

The 411 program has replaced D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) as the program that teaches our youth about the importance of making good decisions.  The curriculum focuses primarily on the dangers and consequences of alcohol, drug and tobacco use, but also includes information about bullying.  The 411 program is a collaboration between the Johnston School District and the city of Johnston which share in its cost.  The program is taught by Johnston Police Officer, Rich Kirkeby, whom the kids adore and “never want to disappoint.”

The 411 program has been so successful that we recently decided to expand it and offer it in the seventh and ninth grades.  It is in those grades when our youth really start to feel the peer pressure that could cause them to make bad decisions.  Lacking the resources to expand the program immediately, school and city officials reached out to the Johnston business community for financial assistance.  Local businesses stepped up in a big way and provided the funding we needed to offer the 411 program to our seventh and ninth graders.  The 411 program is a great example of how a community comes together to support its youth.

If you ever have the opportunity to attend a 411 graduation, don’t miss it.  You’ll be impressed by what you hear and see, and you’ll leave feeling good knowing that these kids are our future.