Gehlen students participate in Escape School

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Posted April 3, 2003

LE MARS - When a guest speaker with the Escape School program recently visited Gehlen Catholic School, she jokingly told third- through sixth-graders that they wouldn't be learning ways to escape from school.

Presented in a non-threatening demeanor, the speaker's message was based on serious subject matter as it related to child abduction prevention and survival techniques. Donna Bock, Escape School trainer from Des Moines, stressed, "Be smart, not scared."

Trained by national safety expert Robert Stube, Bock presented the one-hour training program to Gehlen elementary students in two groups, initially to kindergarten through second grade students and then to the third to sixth grade students.

"What we are going to talk about is safety tactics," she said.

Every year there are 125,000 abduction attempts - 4,600 of which are successful. Three hundred of these end in tragedy.

Through role playing Bock presented prevention techniques in a proactive and positive manner.

First of all, she told them that all the rules change in dangerous situations. For instance, normally children are supposed to be careful not to break anything in stores. If a stranger grabs them, children are supposed to knock items in a store so to drawn attention.

Students were given tips on how to identify a bad stranger - not by what they look like but through their odd or unusual behavior.

Initially, when Bock asked the students what a bad guy looked like many responded that they would be wearing black clothes, would be dirty and ugly. Many thought they would be men. She stressed that not all bad strangers look a certain way. At the same time, some strangers are good and may be the ones to save their lives.

"You have to trust your instincts," said Bock. "When your instincts tell you something is not right you might get scared and your stomach might start hurting."

For one of the role plays she had a student portray a bad stranger. It centered on an adult who had a leash and a photo of a dog at the city park. This adult asked a child for help in finding a missing dog.

"Adults should never ask kids for help," said Bock.

In this same scenario, she told the students how they should ask for the help of another adult if they are being bothered.

"You must learn how to demand for help, not just ask for it," she stressed.

In another role play, Bock warned the students about talking to strangers in cars. She offered this practical tip: if a car is following you as you are walking, turn and run in the opposite direction because it takes time for a car to turn around.

If the stranger does get out of their car and tries to grab them, the Escape School trainer told the students to keep holding onto their bikes if they have one as it is harder for the abductor to move them. If they are not on a bike, they are to grab onto anything such as a stop sign or small tree.

Again, they need to draw attention to themselves.

"Yelling out stranger or fire is an excellent idea. If you yell fire at a crosswalk, people will know something is wrong," said Bock.

Students said they learned some practical tips from the program.

Kayla Holtgrewe, a fifth-grader, said she learned that if you are in a car with a stranger and cannot get out that they should try to jump on the abductor's lap and honk on the horn.

"I learned that you should not get in cars with people," said Samantha Woerdehoff, another fifth-grader.

Sixth-grader Brad Langel said it was a good program and taught them a lot of ways to keep safe.

"I learned you should hold on to your bike if someone tries to take you," he said.

Linden Shoup, another sixth-grader, said he learned a lot of interesting tips such as breaking free of an abductor's grasp on your arm by using the windmill technique.

He pointed out that he has been more aware of abductions with the publicity of the Elizabeth Smart case.

Sherri Kraus, a member of the TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More), parent/teacher education committee at Gehlen, said she learned of Escape School through an article in People magazine. She was reading the article to pass on tips to her own children when she became aware that the program was available for school presentations.

"She (Bock) approached it in a way that doesn't frighten the children," said Kraus. "I think we should offer this every couple of years because children forget."

Lorie Nussbaum, K-6 principal at Gehlen, said, "I thought the program was excellent. It taught the students some very practical skills, common sense things."

Like Kraus, the principal felt it would be a good to repeat the program every two to three years. She encouraged other schools to check out the program because it provided a positive way for students to care for themselves.

Escape School has been featured on America's Most Wanted and Prime Time.

Dignity Memorial Escape School is provided as a service to help communities be safer for children. The presentation in Le Mars was sponsored by Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, a Dignity Memorial Provider.