Three Grade 5 classes from Westmount School received their diploma Monday, January 18, but they were still back in class Tuesday morning.

The classes officially graduated from the DARE program where they received a medallion and congratulatory handshakes from many dignitaries in the community.

The DARE program educates students on the risks of alcohol and drugs in youth.

Program Coordinator and Instructor Melanie Glanville says teaching hundreds of kids at numerous schools in the community is a really rewarding accomplishment.

"I have been teaching the DARE programs for eight years in Foothills School Division which has been wonderful," she says. "The kid's graduation is obviously the fun part of our program, they get and cake but they need to do a project to graduate so they need to explain what they've learned," she says.

With Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol being a larger risk in youth than ever before Glanville says it's important that they have the knowledge to make better choices going through higher levels of education.

"Our students, our community and everywhere I guess, they're starting to learn about these things it's getting younger and younger where they're learning about those bad drugs out there and even those good drugs that they are abusing."

Okotoks Mayor Bill Robertson was on hand to say a few words of encouragement for the students to keep up with the education they've learned from Glanville and program.

As well as members of the Okotoks Oilers who came out to sign autographs and give their advice to students.

She says more voices besides herself teaching goes a long way in making the DARE program a success.

"It really takes the community to raise a child, I firmly believe in that the more positive feedback that the kids get back from the different adults in our community is huge."