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New Madrid County Central ‘wraps up’ Red Ribbon Week
NEW MADRID, Mo. - A former New Madrid County Central student sought to bring home the dangers of drugs and drug abuse as Red Ribbon Week came to a close Friday at the school.
Gary Cook, a 1993 graduate of NMCC, told the students about the impact drug addiction had on his life. He added he hoped his message would make a difference in the life of at least one student.
Cook told the students how he began experimenting with marijuana while in middle school. As he became addicted to drugs, Cook said “I became the monster I didn’t like.”
He said his drug use resulted in run-ins with law enforcement and created trouble at home. Cook added while he had a reputation in high school as a partier, he was really using drugs and partying to mask the hurt he felt inside.
While using drugs himself, Cook acknowledged he also sold drugs. Some of those individuals went on to become addicts, harming not only themselves but their families, he said.
After years of drug abuse and numerous arrests, Cook said he was able to break away from the destructive behavior.
“I’m in a good place today because I changed my thinking,” Cook told the students. “If you don’t fail in your life, you are not trying. If you fail, try again a different way. Be a problem solver.”
He cautioned the students to realize there are valleys in everyone’s life. Once they learn the lessons from being in those valleys, he assured them they would be able to “shoot up that mountain. Another valley may be coming but the next one will be much easier because you have learned those lessons.”
He urged students to set goals for themselves and spoke about the power of forgiving not only others but yourself.
Red Ribbon Week was conducted throughout the New Madrid County R-1 School District from Oct. 21-27. The week sought to emphasize drug prevention and education through a variety of activities at the district’s elementary schools, middle school and high school.