Kasson-Mantorville students complete DARE program
STAFF PHOTO BY TOM MURRAY
Gabe Yang poses with, from left, Sgt. Jesse Kasel, patrol officer TJ Wagner, and Chief Josh Hanson after the DARE graduation in the KM middle school gym.
Students at Kasson-Mantorville Middle School graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program May 1 during a ceremony led by school resource officer and instructor Zach Kasper.
The 11-week DARE course concluded with students receiving certificates in the middle school gym. Two members of Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) from the high school also addressed attendees.
Fourteen middle school students were recognized for submitting posters to a statewide DARE competition.
The program focuses on character development, decision-making, building positive relationships and strategies to navigate real-world challenges.
Throughout the course, students participated in discussions on handling peer pressure, effective communication, reporting bullying and building self-confidence.
Kasper teaches students the DARE decision-making model.
Define the problem.
Assess the choices and determine the consequences.
Respond by using the assessed information.
Evaluate the decision.
“It goes beyond simply teaching students to say no; it equips them with practical skills to make safe and responsible choices,” said Principal Josh Larsen.
Kasper took over as SRO last school year when Jesse Kasel, who had been at KM schools since 2016, transitioned into his role as a sergeant for Kasson Police Department.
Kasper graduated from Kasson-Mantorville in 2008 and Rochester Community and Technical College in 2020 with a law enforcement degree. He covers all the schools in Kasson, including the Zumbro Education District (ZED) building.
STAFF PHOTO BY TOM MURRAY
KM School Resource Officer Zach Kasper presided over the DARE graduation on May 1. Oakley Baker, Aria Demming, Milo Hulst, Emma Moen, Lauren Weis, Riley DeWitz, Leila Fox, Ella Mielke, Brekklyn Thorson, Hadley Gamerdinger, Adaline Kobi, Liam Baker, Camara Cafourek and Jayce Rinehart received special recognition for their DARE poster submissions in a state-wide competition. Baker took 8th place in the competition.