Jacksonville High School is supporting the red ribbon this year bringing awareness to the student body about drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse. Red Ribbon Week is a way to bring attention to these abuses and provide activities for everyone to participate in.

At Jacksonville High School, Crimson Courage is a student division of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). In support of Red Ribbon Week, they have organized a spirit week and a drawing for the chance to win a new iPhone 11, donated by the Jacksonville Police Department. On Monday students should wear red and come get Twizzler candy to not get “twisted up” in drugs. Tuesday is the day to dress for success. In order to be college and career ready, staying drug and alcohol free is the way to go. The middle of the week gets hard, but Wednesday is the day to dress up as your favorite superhero and save yourself and others from drugs. Friends don’t let friends do drugs. Red Ribbon Week happens to fall during Halloween this year, so what a great opportunity to show off your costumes on Thursday to scare away drugs and alcohol. Lucky for the Crimsons, every Friday is a red spirit wear day, but this week wear red spirit wear to support the Red Ribbon against drugs and alcohol.

According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 86.3% of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 70.1%t reported that they drank in the past year; and 55.9% reported that they drank in the past month. These statistics would vary in high schools, but show that our society is steadily abusing drugs. The Crimsons are taking notice of the consequences of using these substances.