Red Ribbon Week 2010 is Here!!!

Red Ribbon Week has arrived! Red Ribbon Week comes every October during the final week and is now the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program. At Carlisle, we try to do many activities district-wide and use the large amount of students 6-12 who have agreed to be a part of our JEL/SADD (Just Eliminate Lies and Students Against Destructive Decisions) program to help facilitate these activities. This year our theme is "Get Active" and make positive decisions to avoid risky and destructive decisions such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. We kicked it all off with a Wear Red Friday last week and will continue with activities this week.

For more information on what Red Ribbon Week is all about, see below. I found this information at this website, a Red Ribbon Week Factsheet.

How it all started:

Special Agent Kiki Camarena:

Special Agent Camarena was an 11-year veteran of the DEA assigned to the Guadalajara, Mexico, office where he was on the trail of the country’s biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers. In 1985, he was extremely close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline.

On February 7, 1985, he was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and murdered by Mexican drug traffickers. His tragic death opened the eyes of many Americans to the dangers of drugs and the international scope of the drug trade.

History of Red Ribbon Week:

Shortly after Kiki’s death, Congressman Duncan Hunter and Kiki’s high school friend Henry Lozano launched “Camarena Clubs” in Kiki’s hometown of Calexico, California. Hundreds of club members pledged to lead drug-free lives to honor the sacrifice made by Kiki Camarena.

These pledges were delivered to First Lady Nancy Reagan at a national conference of parents combating youth drug use. Several state parent organizations then called on community groups to wear red ribbons during the last week of October as a symbol of their drug-free commitment.

The first Red Ribbon Week celebrations were held in La Mirada and Norwalk, California.

In 1988, the National Family Partnership (NFP) coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons.

How to Celebrate Red Ribbon Week:

The NFP estimates that more than 80 million people participate in Red Ribbon events each year.

The campaign is a unified way for communities to take a stand against drugs and show intolerance for illicit drug use and the consequences to all Americans.

Schools, businesses, the faith community, media, families, and community coalitions join together to celebrate Red Ribbon Week in many ways, such as: sponsoring essay and poster contests; organizing drug-free races; decorating buildings in red; handing out red ribbons to customers; holding parades or community events; and by publicizing the value of a drug-free, healthy lifestyle.

DEA joins with community coalitions and prevention groups to plan and carry out Red Ribbon activities, ranging from classroom events to stadium-sized rallies.