Stranger Danger

In 2000, a young boy named Scott Drake was abducted, sexually abused, murdered, and then mutilated on Pittsburgh’s North Side. In response to this, I became interested in starting a program that could teach the children at local elementary schools, particularly in the area where Scott was from, about strangers and the dangers they pose in their communities. Therefore:

• I researched the topic, and developed a curriculum designed to teach young children about strangers and the dangers they pose in any community.
• I then had the curriculum reviewed and approved by some of the nation’s leading child-psychologists.
• The program was named Stranger Danger.
• The program began in April of 2002 in Scott’s old neighborhood. The first program focused on two area elementary schools.
• -It was a great success, and we held a second session of the Stranger Danger Program in October of 2002 at four area elementary schools.
• We are in the process of planning Stranger Danger for the 2003 to 2004 school year.
• In Pittsburgh, where the program originated, the City Council was so impressed with the program that they declared certain days in April of 2002 and October of 2002 as Stranger Danger Days throughout the city.
• Local news channels covered the second program to publicize Stranger Danger.