The Woodland Park Police Department expanded the LEAD (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) program to Beatrice Gilmore School. Officer Derrick Morrison has been working with all eighth grade students on a weekly basis at Memorial Middle School.

This 10-lesson program presents age-appropriate social and emotional competency skills. There are lessons focused on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and the effects of use on the body. Additionally, the students learn about refusal strategies, safe use of over-the-counter and prescription drugs and how making healthy choices will impact life-long wellness.

The fourth grade students at Beatrice Gilmore School are also participating in the LEAD Program facilitated by WPPD Det. Omaira Carino.

Students at a recent session in Ms. Reisman's class engaged in learning about setting goals and becoming "goal boosters" rather than "goal busters". Students participated in role-play activities to assist with providing the students with where they worked through different peer-social scenarios and how to come up with a positive solution.

Officer Morrison continues to make a difference at Memorial Middle School teaching the LEAD program to all eighth grade classes. In this session with Mrs. Behnken’s class, he explained and showed the anatomy of the teenage brain and the effects of alcohol on the brain.