Fifth-graders at J.S. Aucoin Elementary School in Amelia participated in their Drug Abuse Resistance Education graduation Wednesday. The DARE graduation was the last graduation under current DARE Officer Detective Karla Meranto-Cornes. DARE is a police officer-led series of class-room lessons that teach children how to resist peer pressure and live productive lives. For the past 10 weeks, Meranto-Cornes has taught the values of responsibility, good decision-making, anti-bullying, and awareness of drugs and alcohol. Graduation was attended by parents, members of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, and current fourth-graders of the elementary who will take DARE in the following school year. Meranto-Cornes said ...