Students at Horace Greeley High School and Bell and Seven Bridges Middle Schools took part in activities this past week in recognition of Red Ribbon Week. For the past 30 years, schools nationwide have used Red Ribbon Week, observed during the last week of October, to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and to encourage students to lead drug free lives.
Red Ribbon week began as a tribute to DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who was brutally murdered by drug traffickers he was investigating undercover in Mexico in 1985. Red ribbons were worn to honor his sacrifice and to show the wearers opposition to drugs and the damage they can do. Red Ribbon week activities in our schools focused on age appropriate activities and providing a way to build a community that encourages support and positive decision making for all New Castle teens.
In our middle schools, Red Ribbon Week activities were led by Prevention Specialist Katya Ostor. Each building held a poster contest where students designed posters to illustrate Red Ribbon Week. Bell students were enthusiastic poster creators, submitting 43 posters which hung around the school. Seven Bridges students embraced Red Ribbon sticker pledges which they filled out and hung for others to see. Give aways of red ribbon themed stickers and pencil toppers brought students to lunch time tables to learn about healthy choices and joining the new Youth to Youth clubs in each building.
At Greeley, students in the SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club spearheaded Red Ribbon Week. SADD members used Red Ribbon Week to spread messages about building community, looking out for one another and avoiding alcohol and other substance use. They put up a bulletin board outside the Academic Commons, decorated the cafeteria in red and handed out red necklaces which adorned the necks of the majority of Greeley students and staff for the Red Ribbon week kick off.
Last Monday SADD students welcomed Bobby Petrocelli to an assembly for all Greeley studentsto begin Red Ribbon Week. Mr. Petrocelli speaks at gatherings around the country to share his story of personal triumph over tragedy and how life’s choices impact not only us but those around us and build the foundation of our lives. Greeley students were enthusiastic about the presentation, calling him powerful, moving and engaging. For more information about Mr. Petrocelli, visit his website, https://10seconds.org.
New Castle United for Youth was delighted to be able to support all of these Red Ribbon week activities, particularly by providing the funds to cover Bobby Petrocelli’s presentation.