Red Ribbon Week: Area schools pledge to be drug-free

Thursday, October 29, 2015
Students at Southeast Elementary School in Sikeston welcomed McGruff the Crime Dog during their Red Ribbon Week Celebration at their school. (Jill Bock, Staff)

SIKESTON -- It's often a week of fun dress-up days and activities, but Red Ribbon Week's message encourages youth to be drug-free and to make healthy life decisions.

Several school districts are taking part in the week-long event, which has the theme, "Respect Yourself: Be Drug-Free."

"We started our week with wearing red on Monday, and this year we did something fun on our school's Facebook page," said Olivia Carter, counselor at Matthews Elementary in Sikeston. "The teachers took selfies and put a collage together and then posted the message: 'We wear red because we believe in a drug-free future for all students.'"

A giant red ribbon was also placed in the school, and students signed it to pledge to be drug-free, Carter said.

Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country. Although the start-end dates can vary, Red Ribbon Week generally takes place the last full week in October, with the weekends before and following the last full week as celebration dates.

Scott Central also has dress-up days and a poster contest during Red Ribbon Week.

Students at New Madrid Elementary School in New Madrid also celebrated with dress-up days this week. They, too, get to wear Halloween costumes today to "scare away" drugs.

"It's been fun every day this week. and we draw for prizes for students who've dressed up for that day," said school secretary Jamie Higgerson.

Red Ribbon Week commemorates the ultimate sacrifice made by Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who died at the hands of drug traffickers in Mexico while fighting the battle against illegal drugs to keep the United States and children safe.

"We try to get the students to understand the damage that drugs can do, and it's best never to start," Scott Central Elementary counselor Scarlett Dittlinger said. "It's about prevention. Kiki Camarena died wanting to make our country safer for kids. The week is teaching children not to get caught up in the scene of drugs and to also keep his memory alive."

For the complete story, see the Friday edition of the Standard Democrat.

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