A newfound partnership between the Iowa State Athletic Department and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program has given Cyclone athletes the opportunity to have a positive influence on students in the central Iowa community.

On Oct. 16, sprinter Sara Riemersma, football player Jamie Kohl and basketball player Tony Rampton went to Gilbert Elementary for the first session involving athletes in the D.A.R.E. program.

The athletic department committed to participate in four D.A.R.E. sessions during the semester, two of which will be held at Gilbert, with the other two at Colo-Nesco.

The three athletes told Gilbert sixth graders about making positive choices and being assertive. The Cyclones also stressed the importance of setting goals and establishing priorities for achieving those goals.

Riemersma said most of the discussion surrounded setting goals, maintaining them and doing the work necessary to achieve those goals.

Kohl told students, “The most important thing is to know who you are. Set your goals and don’t do anything that will keep you from reaching them. Do what you want, not what others want you to do.”

The idea that athletes would have direct involvement in the D.A.R.E. program came from Christina Rende, a graduate assistant in the athletic department in marketing.

Rende said the Sheriff’s department, who organizes the D.A.R.E. program, called the athletic department in mid-August to request tickets to athletic events as a reward for the youth participants.

Rende said she thought it would be a good idea to directly involve student-athletes in the D.A.R.E. program in addition to giving away tickets. She told the heads of the Sheriff’s department her idea that directly involving athletes would be advantageous for the Story County and ISU communities. They agreed.

It was great to “start a working relationship between D.A.R.E. and the Iowa State Athletic Department,” she said.

Riemersma, who supported D.A.R.E. by speaking to youngsters as a high school athlete, said this program is a bright idea because “it provides a positive influence for kids” and shines positive light on the ISU Athletic Department.

As far as exposing athletics, Riemersma said she thinks it generates publicity for non-revenue sports. She said the kids will remember that someone from the ISU track team came to their class.

Gilbert teachers had good things to say about the visiting Cyclone speakers.

“We really enjoy the opportunity to have ISU athletes come visit with our students,” said sixth-grade teacher Mike Korf. “Our students are very involved in athletics, whether it be football, basketball or soccer, so the athletes are positive role models. Their speeches give out students a chance to see real-world perspectives for what they learn in D.A.R.E.”

The Cyclone student-athletes work again with program in November. The athletes are speaking to fifth and sixth graders at the schools.

The ISU Athletic Department plans to continue to cultivate its relationship with D.A.R.E. program community and is making other efforts to give back to the central Iowa community.