The goal of Red Ribbon Week is to teach students to stay away from drugs, and to make healthy life choices. Red Ribbon Week was established in 1986 by a group of concerned parents, and is now celebrated throughout the United States.
The red ribbon was adopted as a symbol of the movement in honor of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, an agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, who was kidnapped and killed while investigating drug traffickers.
One week of prevention education and activities doesn't prevent drug and alcohol use, but it's a start, said Courtney King Crum, counselor, New Park Elementary School, Harlan.
"It takes a family, community and school working together to educate and support our young people," she said. "Red Ribbon Week is a time for awareness and hope."
The guidance counselors in the Harlan Community Schools and Shelby County Catholic School have organized positive events for the students at all grade levels this week. Some of the activities include police visits to the classrooms, wearing red ribbons, educational lessons about healthy lifestyles and education about the harmful effects of drugs.
|
|
At the high school, classroom teachers and staff will communicate healthy lifestyle choices to students through discussion and classroom activities throughout the week, as well as through the rest of the school year. In addition:
* The police will visit the high school to present drug prevention messages to students, answer questions about the dangers of drug use and abuse, and hand out HCHS drug-free key chains. They also will show drug prevention videos to the students during their study halls.
* The high school special education class, along with their high school Best Buddies, will decorate the football field fence with drug-free messages.
* A group of 60 high school students are involved in JEL (Just Eliminate Lies), which focuses on tobacco prevention and education. They will present a prevention program to elementary students this week, as well as throughout the year. JEL seniors will provide public service announcements on local radio. Also, Cole Johnson from the state JEL coaltion will make a presentation to all HCHS students Oct. 28 during advisement time. He will speak about state tobacco prevention goals, and will educate students about marketing strategies that the big tobacco companies are using to entice young users, as well as the dangers of all types of tobacco use.
* National Honor Society students are working on a group community service project related to drug and alcohol prevention at HCS. They are looking at the national SADD project, Students Against Destructive Decisions, as a guide for their project this year.
Middle School
Middle school students are discussing being drug-free all year through many activities, including:
* Police visits with the topic of consequences for poor decisions.
* Seventh graders will hear a presentation about alcohol.
* The Sam Spady story and presentation of Sam Spady cards.
* Camfel Production, Fairness a Balance of Power.
* Girl Circle groups, Alateen and alcohol and drug guidance topics.
Guidance and HCMS staff present drug and alcohol prevention education in the classroom year around. Red Ribbon lessons are more than one week.
Elementary School
Elementary students will create drug-free slogans for grocery sacks and to-go pizza boxes. They also will use sidewalk chalk to write healthy messages on school sidewalks. Dress-up days will be held during Red Ribbon Week as follows:
* Monday, "Work Out to Stay Healthy," students wear sweatshirts and sweat pants.
* Tuesday, "Being Drug Free is a Bright Idea," students wear brightly-colored clothes.
* Wednesday, "Drugs are Scary," students wear Halloween costumes.
* Thursday, "Say No to Drugs and Your Dreams will Come True," students wear pajamas.
