Another Successful Year For DARE Program

DARE Graduation 2014
Photo submitted by Judge “Dick” Richard Vance

Thursday March 27, 2014 Rush Strong School hosted D.A.R.E Graduation 2014. Dr. Tracy Sands, Rush Strong’s Principal, welcomed the large crowd of students, parents, family, law enforcement and government officials who came to show their support for Rush Strong’s D.A.R.E.

The stage was full with Special Guest such as Director of Schools Dr. Edmonds, Sheriff Bud McCoig, Chief Deputy Tim Carter, Constable Frank Solomon, THP Lieutenant Mike Higgs, THP Sergeant Jason Lowe, THP Trooper Jeff Coffey, Representative Andrew Farmer, Circuit Court Judge Duane Sloan, Circuit Court Judge Dick Vance, Ms. Elsie “Doodle” Johnson, Mr. & Mrs. Chuck (Penny) Murphy (Circuit Court Clerk), County Commissioner for the 5th District Sammy Solomon and County Commissioner for the 6th District Rob Blevins.

Speaker Ms. Elsie “Doodle” Johnson told a heart wrenching story of her daughter Alex, who was a student at Carson Newman and was put into a bad situation when at a 19th birthday party she tried drugs. She thought that she was smoking marijuana, which turned out to be laced with meth and a date rape drug. The affect of the drugs made her suffer immensely and she was sexually assaulted before being brought to Morristown Hamblen Hospital twenty two hours later. Unfortunately, Alex did not survive. Ms. Elsie Johnson instead of being grief stricken and quieted by her loss, stood bravely and told of the cost of drug use to the audience, requesting that if they remember nothing else, to please remember Alex’s name.

SRO Maurice “Moose” Solomon, Principal Dr. Tracy Sands and Assistant Principal Mr. Jerry Bouler awarded two overall winners with $50.00. Graduates of the 2013-2014 D.A.R.E. are Nathaniel Allison, Janna Anderson, Summer Ballard, Abigail Ballinger, Amaya Brewer, Dylan Britt, Athena Burnette, Danielle Carpenter, Fisher Charles, Casper Cochran, Austin Craft, Dustin Craft, Andrew Craig, Erica Creech, James Davis, Timothy Denton, Brittany Diamond, Macie Edwards, Mollie Elkins, Joseph Ellison, Bryson Eslinger, Courtney Evans, Rebecca Finchum, Katherine Fisher, Tyler Fultz, Megan Gideon, Kenneth Griffin, William Heath, Ashton Heiser, Caleb Hickman, Olivia Horn, Caroline Jefferson, Marcie Kirkland, Jade Lane, Austin Lietch, Trevor Long, Brady Lowe, Collin Lowe, Katelyn Lusk, Chloe Marlowe, Jessie McCarty, Justin McCarty, Sarah McDaniel, Marissa McElfresh, Haley McKee, Caleb Melton, Tristan Melton, Malachi Mills, Hayden Myers, Lillie Myers, Dylan Noble, Bradley Ownby, Austin Rader, Noah Rudd, Isaac Sawyer, Makenna Seale, Cameron Self, Abby Shipe, Jacob Skelton, Jagger Smith, Aspen Souto, Grady Sweeton, Jacob Tignor, Leslie Tipton, McKenzie Trent, Brooklyn Vesser and Harley Waddle. Congratulations to each and every one!

DARE Graduation 2014
Staff Photo by Robin McMahon

DARE Graduation 2014
Staff Photo by Robin McMahon