D.A.R.E. stands for “Drug Abuse Resistance Education” and was first initiated as a joint effort of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1983.

The program began in Iowa in 1987. This is a school-based drug use prevention program, taught by police officers.

Iowa has a D.A.R.E. Officer Training program, which requires 80 hours of study. These officers are tasked with helping students make positive healthy choices.

Steve Thumma, of the Webster City Police Department, was the instructor for the program at St. Thomas.

Submitted photo
The D.A.R.E. essay winners were each given a framed copy of their essay, a ribbon and a Daren, the mascot of the D.A.R.E. program. They are, from left to right: Officer Steve Thumma, Finley Williams, who received the top award, Liana Veldhuizen, and Gracyn Woodward.

“This is my first year of doing D.A.R.E.,” he said, “and it’s the first class we’ve graduated.”

Thumma and Dave Turpen work together to teach at the Webster City Middle School, with Thumma teaching sixth grade, while Turpen teaches the fifth-grade students. Their graduation will be later this spring.

“The other officers came to show support at the graduation.” said Thumma,

Those officers who attended the ceremony were Ryan Basinger, David Turpen, Michael Lehman and Chief Steve Hanson. In addition, they brought Chad, their K9.

Each of the students who participated had to complete an essay explaining what they had learned while taking the class. Each of the essays were read and judged, with the top three recognized during the ceremony. Each received a ribbon, a framed copy of their essay and Daren, the mascot for D.A.R.E.

Finley Williams, Liana Veldhuizen and Gracyn Woodward received awards for writing the three best essays. Williams received the award for the best overall essay.

The 2026 graduates include fifth-graders: Olivia Allen, Randi Andrews, Tenslee Fonken, Emily Gonzalez, Jonah Kaufman, Liam Majewski, Haven McBride, Kai McBride, Brooklyn Vandemark, Gracelyn Wiener, Finley Williams and Gracyn Woodward.

Sixth-grade students who graduated include Paxton Allen, Lilly Campbell, Leena Humlicek, Gavin Majewski, Everly Olson and Liana Veldhuizen.