All fifth graders who participated in the D.A.R.E. program this year learned great life lessons. D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education and is taught by local police officers. These students were eligible to enter the D.A.R.E. vehicle design contest.

“The students were receptive to working with the police officers,” said Butterfield Canyon Elementary Principal Jay Eads. “It was a positive reaction and the positivity will help them gain resiliency and make good choices.” 

Herriman Police officers Burns and Marisha Manzano were the officers that taught the D.A.R.E. program among the city’s seven elementary schools. Burns and Manzano are connected to the junior high schools in the area. They work in the elementary schools that feed into the junior high schools they’re assigned to. This benefits both the students and the officers because they get to know each other.

“The students did a great job on their designs and the cars were covered until the unveiling,” said Sergeant Lopez, supervisor over the resource officers. “It’s been going great, the community loves it and we get lots of good feedback. The D.A.R.E. program has been in place since the Herriman Police Department was established.”

The D.A.R.E. design winner for the Butterfield Elementary bobcats was Jaeden Allen. He chose a bold design showing lightning bolts on a black background. It has the D.A.R.E. logo in red. The D.A.R.E. design winner for the Oak Leaf Elementary Owls was Cage Hales. His sharp black and white graphic design is an eye-catcher. The D.A.R.E. logo in red is also emblazoned on the vehicle’s side. 

The award-winning designs are transformed into wraps made by Interstate Image. “I take the paper designs and vector or computerize it and give it to the wrap company,” Jon LaFollette said, communications manager for Herriman City.

One more special feature is that each design has a space that says “Designed by.” Then the student’s actual signature is included in the wrap. The officers drive these specially designed D.A.R.E. program vehicles. So the program is promoted and people can look for the signature of Cage or Jaeden. λ