For 22 years, the Keota School DARE Program has taught kids valuable life lessons, and it continues into the new decade. DARE, short for Drug Abuse Resistance Program, teaches students about drug abuse, violence, and how to avoid these situations in daily life. Keota Police Chief Doug Conrad started the program back in 1999 and continues to be a positive influence on the students. Conrad talked about how he is preparing students for those tense situations in life, “The DARE Program just gives them tools to put into their toolbox. So when somebody comes up and says ‘Hey, try this,’ it’s not the first time that they’ve been introduced to a situation where somebody wants them to do something. Now they know how to respond in a positive and confident manner.”  The DARE Class meets on Fridays from 12-1 p.m. at the Keota Elementary School.