The auditorium at John H. Woodson Jr. High School was full of beaming fifth- and sixth-graders Thursday, celebrating their graduation from the Safe and Drug Free Coole School Program sponsored by VING Counter-drug Task Force.
The year-long Coole School program is designed to reinforce academics and character-building skills, according to the National Guard. It also has a research-based substance abuse prevention component.
Coole School’s vision and mission is to raise protective factors, lower risk factors and enhance refusal skills for students. These skills are taught by teachers, parents and guardsmen through a character education program using games, puzzles and articles in a planner.
Six hundred students from public and private schools across the island listened as their National Guard teachers and guest speakers, including V.I. National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Mona Barnes and Innovative Vice President of Government Affairs Jennifer Matarangas-King, praised their hard work in the program.
"It was fun,” said Terrell Edwards, a fifth-grader at Eulalie Rivera Elementary. “We learned about integrity and responsibility, caring for others … and about the dangers of drugs like Ecstasy."
Teacher Chad Pringel prompted the students on catch phrases and jingles about personal responsibility, integrity and character during the ceremony, and the 600 students chanted their parts in unison.
Later students sang along without prompting to St. Croix singer Mada Nile’s uplifting song, "Like to See."
Students were tested on the material they were supposed to learn. All the classes did well, with an average score of more than 92 percent. Teacher Valda Austrie’s fifth-grade class at Eulalie Rivera won first place, averaging 94 percent on the final test.
The program started in 2000 when the VING task force began supporting the U.S. Attorney’s Office with its After School Peer Helpers Homework Assistance Program at Juanita Gardine Elementary.
The VING CDTF now conducts the Coole School Program at 13 schools on St. Croix and 10 schools on St. Thomas.
Five hundred St. Thomas Coole School students will be celebrated at a ceremony 9:30 a.m. Friday at the Charlotte Amalie High School Ruth E. Thomas Auditorium.
