Red Ribbon activities continue
With the 2018 “Red Ribbon Week” campaign winding down, organizers still have quite a bit more planned for local students on Thursday and Friday.
Red Ribbon Week in Albany this year began on Monday, Oct. 22. The annual campaign is recognized not only locally but across the state and nation.
This is the 30th straight year that the event has been conducted in Albany. The campaign is designed to draw as much attention as possible to the problems of drug and alcohol abuse, some of the leading causes of drug abuse, and its prevention.
The event is sponsored by Albany ISD and the Albany Task Force on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, with support provided by several other state and local agencies.
Activities are planned for both elementary and secondary school campuses following the national theme for 2018, “Life Is Your Journey, Travel Drug Free.”
Secondary Events
A full five-day observation of Red Ribbon Week was planned for the secondary campus by counselor Dee Dee Waggoner.
Students and teachers were encouraged to dress up as a movie character on Monday to “Be the Star of Your Drug Free Journey.”
On Tuesday, students wore red for “Go Red Together for Our Drug Free Journey,” while camo attire was sported on Wednesday to remind them “Don’t Let Drugs Find You on Your Drug Free Journey.”
Today and tomorrow the dress-up will continue to follow drug prevention themes.
Thursday, Oct. 25 – “Team Up for a Drug Free Journey” will have students wearing clothing representing the college or pro team of their choice.
Friday, Oct. 26 – “Black Out: Wipe Out Drugs on Your Drug Free Journey” was planned to coordinate with the Black Out pep rally; however, the Black Out pep rally will be rescheduled on another date.
Door decorations designed for each homeroom will be judged early Friday morning.
The winners of the door decorating contest will be announced at the pep rally. The winning class will be treated to a pizza party sponsored by the Task Force.
NSES Events
Event coordinator Leigh Lowe planned special activities for the final three days of the week-long celebration for the elementary students to increase awareness for staying drug free.
The themes chosen were the same as those at the secondary campus, Camo, Teams, and Black Out.
Another special activity is the annual drug-free poster contest.
As they have the past few years, students at Nancy Smith Elementary School are competing for cash prizes by promoting the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse.
Participating children will design and enter posters by the 9:00 a.m. deadline on Friday, Oct. 26. Posters are limited to being no larger than a large piece of construction paper, and the student’s name and grade must be placed on the back of the poster.
Entries must turned in at the elementary school office, and prizes will be awarded in four different age groups: pre-K, Head Start and kindergarten; first and second grades; third and fourth grades; and fifth and sixth grades.
Prizes are $25, $15, $10 and are sponsored by the Albany Task Force.
