One of the questions Lt. Hank Everitt most often fields while in uniform is whether he knows Officer Mike Poddany.

"The kids can't wait to tell you that they know the guy," Lieutenant Everitt said.

Officer Mike Poddany was named Ohio's 2008 Larry R. Cox DARE Officer of the Year by the DARE Association of Ohio.

Officer Poddany began teaching DARE in the Oregon City Schools in the 1990-1991 school year. He currently teaches the program at Starr, Wynn, Coy, and Jerusalem elementary schools.

"It's humbling," he said. "It's a great award to get."

Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, was created in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program is designed to teach children about the consequences of drug use, conflict resolution, communications skills, decision-making, and alternatives to substance abuse.

Officer Poddany teaches DARE full time during the school year, discussing such concepts as gun safety, bicycle safety, and seat-belt safety. A new program is featured each month. In the summer, he leads Safety Town, a program designed to teach younger children about safety laws.

Officer Poddany, a graduate of

Cardinal Stritch High School, has been an employee of the Oregon Police Division for 31 years.

Lonnie Rivera, principal of Coy Elementary, said that Officer Poddany's passion sets him apart.

"He cares. Kids know who cares. He loves what he does, he's very energetic, and he's not afraid to joke around with the kids," Mr. Rivera said.

"When you go into the classroom, you can't have a down day. That's not how you're going to be effective," Officer Poddany said.

The award is named after Larry R. Cox, a DARE officer in Chillicothe who was killed during a robbery in April, 2005. Officers are nominated for the award. Officer Poddany was nominated by several people, including Amy Molnar, principal of Starr Elementary School.

In her nominating letter, Ms. Molnar wrote that Officer Poddany "develops a tremendous, irreplaceable rapport with students and staff of all ages."

Ms. Molnar added that "although students view Officer Poddany as a person who helps others learn the right way to live and handle situations, they also respect his position as an enforcement agent."

She wrote that students and staff members "learn much from him and appreciate his dedication toward the betterment of our children and society."

Suzanne Kwiatkowski, who teaches at Wynn Elementary and has worked with Officer Poddany since the DARE program was first taught in Oregon schools, said that he is a natural teacher, despite having no formal training in education.

"He interacts with them, he involves himself with them. He doesn't just come in as a teacher; he involves himself with the kids," she said.

Mrs. Kwiatkowski said Officer Poddany has one particular lesson where he uses a balloon to teach students about self-esteem.

He starts with a balloon, and then takes the students through the events in a child's life that deflate the balloon, such as being picked on at school or missing the school bus.

"It's a very graphic representation of what life is like. You get pumped up, and then you get deflated, but you keep the esteem intact," she said.

Officer Poddany stresses the importance of teaching DARE at the elementary level in schools today.

He said it is important to give the information to children while they are at a young age.

"It's something that, unfortunately, they'll experience by the time they get to middle school and high school. It's better to have the information than not to know it," he said.

"I've had DARE graduates who are now doctors, some went to law school, some are police officers, some are firefighters, and some are in prison," he said.

Officer Poddany said he always tries to keep a positive attitude.

"Come in with energy, enthusiasm, and a smile," he said. "That's something I've always shared with other guys I've trained."

First Published June 4, 2008, 4:39 p.m.