The National Red Ribbon Celebration is a nation-wide campaign to promote drug awareness organized by the National Family Partnership. This campaign started as a response to the brutal murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena. When Camarena joined the US Drug Enforcement Administration he told his mother, “I’m only one person, but I want to make a difference.” Parents and youth in communities that had been affected by his death started to wear red ribbons in order to raise awareness about the destruction caused by drug use in America.
The first National Red Ribbon Celebration was sponsored by the National Family Partnership in 1988. Since then the Red Ribbon Celebration has driven communities to inform and better educate their youth about drug prevention.
At JHS, Red Ribbon week is being celebrated October 27 through the 31 and has themes for the students to participate in every day of the week. Monday is Red Ribbon Day due to the ribbon being a symbol for of zero tolerance for illegal drug use and a commitment to a drug-free lifestyle. Tuesday is Team Attire Day which represents students trying to be on a winning team. Wednesday is Twin Day which helps show how friends can help out someone who is contemplating doing drugs. Thursday is Business Casual Day which is to represent how students will be drug tested when they start to get jobs in the real world. Friday is Crimson Spirit Day which is to help support our school in its Red Ribbon Week efforts.
This week on the announcements, there will be a daily message given out to the students providing information about drug and alcohol abuse. One of the daily messages to the students is that alcohol is one of the most common contributors to injury, death, and criminal behavior among youth today. Another message provided to the students is about the influences of peer pressure on developing youth today.
Students can participate in Red Ribbon week by signing the Red Ribbon pledge. The big message for this year is: “Love yourself. Be drug free.” The message that this event hopes to get across to the students is to not ruin their lives now by abusing drugs and alcohol because they still have their entire future ahead of them.