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Highlands Today

Red Ribbon Week Unites School Spirit Against Drugs

Marc Valero/Highlands Today

From Left:Sun 'N Lake Elementary School first-graders Rori Roth, Prana Ananthan, Eric Brown and Anthony Colon wore their sweats to school Monday to "sweat out drugs," on the first day of Red Ribbon Week. For the annual drug prevention effort, students and teachers are encouraged to follow the daily dress theme - i.e. Thursday it's wear your crazy socks to "sock it to drugs."

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: October 21, 2008

SEBRING - With scores of students and adults wearing sweat pants and sweat shirts, it seemed like Health Club Day at Sun 'N Lake Elementary School.

The school was actually in full spirit, observing the first day of the national drug prevention effort called Red Ribbon Week.

Each day of this week has a fun dress theme. Monday, Highlands County school students wore sweat shirts and pants to "sweat out drugs."

Computer Lab paraprofessional Darla Olsen bought a matching sweat pants and jacket outfit for the occasion.

"I think it's a very good program," she said. "It lets the kids know we all want them to be drug-free and that we vow to be drug-free so we are setting an example for them."

Guidance/resource teacher Lanita Roth found the sweats 'nice and comfy" and wasn't surprised to see several students dressed in them.

Like other schools in the district, Sun 'N Lake Elementary will have other Red-Ribbon related activities, including essay and drawing contests and a door decorating contest.

Sebring Middle School guidance counselor Donna Foster said she rewards students with dumb, dumb lollipops "for not being a dumb, dumb and staying away from drugs."

The middle school's campus is decorated with red ribbons, posters and banners.

This year's Red Ribbon theme is "Keep your head in the game. Be drug free."

The dress themes for the remainder of the week are as follows:

• Today - stay in the game - game day - wear your favorite team colors and jerseys.

• Wednesday - wear red day.

• Thursday - sock it to drugs - wear your crazy socks.

• Friday - school spirit day - wear school colors or shirts.

Student Services registered nurse and district Red Ribbon coordinator Sherry Harter said she has yet to tally the attendance at Saturday's Red Ribbon Run at Avon Park High School.

Judging of the door decorating contest starts Wednesday at 1 p.m., she said.

Red Ribbon Week is the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. By wearing red ribbons and participating in community anti-drug events, young people pledge to live a drug-free life and pay tribute to DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.

Camarena was an 11-year veteran of the DEA assigned to the Guadalajara, Mexico, office where he was on the trail of the country's biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. In 1985, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline.

On February 7, 1985, he was kidnapped, brutally tortured and murdered by Mexican drug traffickers. His tragic death opened the eyes of many Americans to the dangers of drugs and the international scope of the drug trade.

In 1988, the National Family Partnership (NFP) coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons.

Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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