Someone Must Be There For The Kids On The Fence

More than 3,000 DARE officers from 17 countries met in Houston last summer to share experiences and reaffirm their commitment to the principles of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

I was one of them, but even the casual observer could see that I was different. While most of the others were local police officers and sheriff’s deputies, I was a park ranger - a federal employee engaged in local drug-abuse prevention activities.

Most of the DARE officers in Houston didn’t know the National Park Service is heavily involved in the program.

In fact, approximately 65 National Park Service rangers serve as DARE officers in communities around the United States. The National Park Service, while focused on the protection and preservation of natural, cultural and recreational resources, believes strongly that protecting and keeping our young people free of drugs and alcohol is essential for the nation’s mental and physical well-being.

As a park ranger at the Coulee Dam Recreation Area, I spend most of my time out protecting the resource. But some of the time, I’m in a classroom teaching the students, who are tomorrow’s hope for preserving the heritage we have come to know as our national park system.

There are three kinds of young people, in my view.

The first is the studious youth who never has and probably won’t ever get into serious trouble.

The second is the one who, in spite of society’s best efforts, can’t stay out of trouble.

Then there is the third kid who sits on the fence, leaning first one way and then the other, never going too far in either direction.

I was in that third category growing up in Philadelphia. Fortunately, with the help of caring parents and a variety of positive role models, I chose the path that led me eventually to the good things in life: baseball, fishing, college, family life and, finally, a career in the National Park Service.

In the aftermath of my youth, I have dedicated myself to reaching those kids who, as I once did, sit on the fence waiting for some sign that will lead them down one of life’s paths.

Today I’m committed, as the National Park Service is, to steering kids away from drugs, alcohol and violence and into a life of caring for their environment.

MEMO: Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages.