Since 1985, the National Red Ribbon Campaign has educated students about the importance of drug prevention. Next week is Red Ribbon Week, and Scurry County schools are preparing to get students on board with the drug-free campaign.
At Snyder Primary School (SPS), students will participate in several activities.
On Monday, students and staff will receive red ribbons to wear, and there will be classroom presentations throughout the day to emphasize healthy choices, safety and good decision-making skills.
“For our grade levels, during Red Ribbon Week, we emphasize safety and making healthy choices, not just now but for the future, too,” SPS Counselor Amy Crist said. “Each choice we make has consequences, positive and/or negative. It’s never too early for children to hear a positive message about taking care of their bodies and to learn safe ways to handle negative emotions. Red Ribbon Week is also a good time to talk about medication safety, that medicines can be both helpful and harmful and from whom they can take medicine.”
On Friday, students will participate in Community Job Vehicle Day, and fall parties will be held in the afternoon.
“Having members of our community share their jobs with our students is a great way for students to learn about their community and the world around them while developing an awareness of different types of careers,” Crist said.
At Snyder Intermediate School (SIS), students will receive free items, such as red ribbons, pencil sharpeners, activity books, bracelets and pencils. Students will also have dress up days to raise awareness. Community members will visit students on Tuesday for career day.
“As an educator of young students, I feel the burden to help all of them build a stronger foundation that enables them to be happy and successful by being the best version of themselves,” SIS Counselor Laura Parker said. “I believe that the best version of a young person can be better achieved by living free from drugs and alcohol.”
According to Parker, choices should be evaluated before they are made.
“Anything that could hinder us, as young people, from building a better life should be evaluated before jumping in, which could cause some kind of addiction, pain or loss,” she said. “Anyone’s happiness comes when we are living a life as the best version of ourselves that is impacting our society in a positive way.”
At Snyder Junior High School (SJHS), students will have dress up days, as well as an opportunity to pledge to be drug-free.
“The Junior National Honor Society will set up pledge cards in the morning for students to pledge themselves to be drug free,” SJHS Principal Rebecca Mebane said. “We will also post those cards in the hallways.”
Every morning, Mebane will read tips during announcements provided by Kelsey Philips of Communities in Schools.
“Anytime you give students more tools to use in their tool belt, they become smarter and wiser in their choices,” Mebane said. “We talk a lot about goals here at the junior high to prepare our students for high school, their career and their future.”
Although Red Ribbon Week activities are fun for students, Mebane said it’s important to understand why they’re doing it.
“Even though we do the fun dress up days, the importance is explaining to students how drug use affects you,” she said. “They know the tools they have, and they can come talk to a teacher or a counselor or an administrator anytime they need to.”
At Snyder High School (SHS), students will recognize Red Ribbon Week with dress up days. Although the week is designed to raise drug awareness and prevention, high school students receive this education year round.
“Students are encouraged to stay drug-free so they will be able to be involved and focused on academics and participate in extracurricular activities,” SHS Principal Janell Martin said. “As a requirement outlined by Snyder ISD, for a student to be able to park on campus or participate in any extracurricular activities during the school year, a student and their parent or guardian must attend a drug awareness orientation program and commit to be involved in the random drug screening and testing practices during the year.”
According to Martin, the orientation meetings outline the effects that drugs can have on a person and the consequences that would follow should a student test positive during the screening.
“These screenings take place randomly and periodically during each semester,” Martin said. “They are a proactive approach to encourage students not to partake any type of drugs that would hamper their abilities to be an outstanding student academically or extracurricularly at Snyder High School.”
At Snyder Christian School (SCS), students will have dress up days, and jeans will be allowed all week.
“It’s paramount that students stay away from something so addictive,” SCS Principal Dr. Jim Palmer said. “Life is too wonderful as it is to lead to something that can destroy any sort of future that they could have.”
At Ira ISD, the student council will decorate the halls to promote the week, and students will have dress up days.
“Each day, members of the student council will share important details about Red Ribbon Week over the announcements,” Ira Principal Dale Jones said. “We provide the elementary students with materials to encourage students not to drink or do drugs, and we also incorporate materials about bullying throughout the week.”
According to Jones, teaching students about drug prevention is a combined effort between the school and parents.
“It is important that we talk to students of all ages about making positive choices, which includes the dangers of drugs,” he said. “Along with parents, it is our responsibility to teach students the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and how the decisions can affect their plans for the future.”
Aside from Red Ribbon Week, students will also conducting Penny Wars next week.
“Penny Wars does not have anything to do with Red Ribbon Week, but it is very important to us,” Jones said. “We have done Penny Wars for the last eight years in Ira.”
Elementary and secondary students will compete against one another during the week to raise money for the Scurry County United Way.
“The competition between classes is great because it makes them want to donate more,” Jones said.
At Hermleigh ISD, elementary students will have a coloring contest, pledge opportunities and dress up days, and high school students will attend daily programs.
On Monday, high school students will attend a motivational anti-addiction assembly. On Tuesday, students will watch an informative slideshow on drugs during lunch. On Wednesday, students will interact with body models showing the effects of drugs on the body. On Thursday, high school students will wear black and hold “Empty Spaces” posters during morning passing periods. On Friday, students will hear celebrity stories with before and after addiction biographies and information.
“I believe that as educators, we want our students to be the best versions of themselves, which includes their minds, bodies and spirits,” Hermleigh Principal Amber Palmer said. “When these children harm themselves through drug and alcohol use and abuse, they’re fracturing at least one part of that triangle, leaving the other pieces vulnerable to damage. We’re hoping to educate these students to rise above the influence.”