The Racing Against Drugs Durham Steering Committee, along with many volunteers, transforms a local venue into an exciting racing environment. Each school is bussed in for half a day (about 600 students per half day session) to visit interactive, educational "Pit Stops" where various agencies, community health professionals, and police agencies share substance abuse information and healthy, drug-free lifestyle alternatives. This unique concept of learning helps to provide the youth with a very meaningful and memorable experience. At the end of the visit, race teams from each school are given the opportunities to experience the excitement and teamwork of racing by competing on a professionally built slot car track.

The provincial RCMP co-ordinator travels to commu nities throughout the province to support the local events. Racing Against Drugs Durham is the largest of all of the provincial programs and the longest running over consecutive years.

In 2009, 106 schools (approximately 6,000 grade 5 students) participated from the Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board. 

By the end of the 2009 event, approximately 75,000 students had been educated by this program.

"Our goal is that these students receive a very strong message on the benefits of a healthy, drug-free lifestyle in an exciting, interactive learning environment," says Penni Barker-Adams, chairperson of the Racing Against Drugs Durham Steering Committee.

 Racing Against Drugs Durham 2010:
During the week of May 3, 2010, over 6,000 Grade 5 students from the Durham District School Board and Durham Catholic School Board will again visit Racing Against Drugs Durham to learn about the dangers of alcohol and other

 drugs, and the benefits of healthy lifestyles and race slot cars.

Educational Pit Stops:
The 31 educational Pit Stops, run by education, agency and business partners, are set up around the perimeter of two ice pads. Schools rotate through the Pit Stops at 8 minute intervals.
Pit Stops deliver messages on: 

• substance abuse awareness and prevention and/or
• healthy lifestyle choices and/or
• commitment to personal safety

Final Race:
At the end of each ½ day session, the students all come to one  Ice Pad to cheer on their teams at the final race on a large oval slot car track (each school has a team of 4 students to represent them). This is a not-to-be-missed, exciting, noisy, fun time. The final race delivers a message to the students  to:

•  try to make healthy decisions to stay on track in life,
•  take it slow in the turns (or the challenging times in life)
•  know that there are many people who are there to help them stay on course and get back on track if needed