Katy ISD Fifth Grade Students Get P.O.W.E.R.

(August 21, 2009) – Starting this school year, Katy ISD fifth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in P.O.W.E.R. (Police Officers Working to Empower students and Reinforce prevention), a new program designed and taught by uniformed police officers with the Katy ISD police department that aims to help students resist risky behaviors and make positive choices. 

During the 11-week program, participating students will learn the harmful effects and consequences of using the three gateway drugs: tobacco, alcohol and marijuana, as well as the harmful effects of abusing all drugs including over-the-counter drugs. They will discover the importance of choosing the right friends, saying no to negative peer pressure, resisting bullying, and  staying safe on the Internet. Students will also have the opportunity to visit with high school students who are positive role models. At the end of the program, students will participate in a P.O.W.E.R. graduation ceremony and we look forward to your attendance at this special event..

For the past 15 years, the Katy ISD police has provided a similar student risk prevention program through D.A.R.E. While the D.A.R.E. program has served Katy ISD well, today’s students are facing challenges that are not included in the D.A.R.E. curriculum. To stay current with the social risks that Katy ISD students encounter in their lives today, the district is transitioning to an enhanced program that also includes curriculum regarding gangs, bullying, internet safety, prescription drugs, and over the counter medications.

“Katy ISD has a long history of providing quality drug prevention programs to our students through the D.A.R.E. program,” says Mark Hopkins, Katy ISD police chief. “The P.O.W.E.R. program continues this tradition by providing prevention training to fifth grade students to meet the needs of our students utilizing the latest information available.”

Although the focus is on fifth graders, P.O.W.E.R. is scalable and flexible enough to provide support to junior and senior high students as the program matures. P.O.W.E.R. also includes elements for high school role model clubs and summer activities that reinforce safe and healthy life styles. Furthermore, Katy ISD owns and controls the program, allowing the use of competitive bidding and local vendors for the supplies, prepared media and printing required to support the program.

For more information about the P.O.W.E.R. program, contact the Katy ISD Police Community Involvement Division at 281-237-4000 or the student's campus.