Fifth grade students at the Berlin Community School celebrated their graduation from the 12-week Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.) program on May 6.
Under the guidance of Berlin police officers Robert Murray Jr. and Anthony Massi, the students delved into crucial topics such as making good decisions, building healthy friendships and navigating life’s challenges.
The L.E.A.D. nonprofit provides a valuable platform for students to develop essential life skills and gain awareness of making informed choices, as well as empowering them to make responsible decisions and resist peer pressure. It is supported by police officers and other law enforcement agencies committed to protecting communities from the proliferation of drugs, cyberbullying and violence, among other issues.
In addition to the invaluable lessons learned in the classroom, students were treated to a graduation lunch courtesy of King of Pizza in Berlin, a donation that highlighted the community’s support for educational initiatives aimed at fostering positive outcomes for kids
L.E.A.D. programs – which include everything from one-on-one leadership coaching to living-learning communities – are also designed to help students gain valuable insights into leadership potential, improve communication skills, learn how to get projects done in teams, understand what it takes to create change and inspire others and chart a leadership development pathway.
L.E.A.D. is the most rapidly growing drug and violence prevention program in the U.S., according to its website, with certified Instructors in 41 states using the evidence-based Too Good for Drugs and Too Good for Violence curriculums.
For more information on LEAD programs and initiatives, visit https://www.leadrugs.org/
