Red Ribbon activities wind down
By Sandy Morris
The 32nd annual Red Ribbon Week kicked off Monday, Oct. 26, for the Albany Independent School District.
The event, which educates students and the local public about drug and alcohol abuse, is sponsored locally by AISD and the Albany Task Force on Drugs and Alcohol Abuse, with support provided by several other state and local agencies.
The national theme for Red Ribbon Week 2020 is “Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug Free.”
All five days of Red Ribbon Week are being observed with dress-up themes on both campuses, with a poster contest at the elementary school and a door decoration contest at the secondary campus.
Susie Beard, Nancy Smith Elementary School counselor, said elementary students started the week wearing a crazy or favorite hat for ‘Put a Cap on Drugs.’ Tuesday’s twin day theme was skipped because of the bad weather day, but Wednesday was nerd day for ‘We are too Smart for Drugs.’
On Thursday, students will wear all black or Halloween colors for ‘Drugs are Scary! Black out Drugs,’ and students will wrap up the week on Friday by wearing a favorite team jersey or red for the Albany Lion for ‘Team Up Against Drugs!’
The elementary students will be able to participate in a poster contest for Red Ribbon Week. All entries are due on Friday, Oct. 30.
The contest will be judged by groups with a first place prize winning $25; a second place prize winning $15, and third place prize money of $10.
The first group will be pre-school, head start, and kindergarten. The second group will be first and second grade, the third group will be third and fourth grade, and the final group will be fifth and sixth grade.
The voluntary contest is sponsored by the Albany Drug Task Force.
Winners will be announced Monday, Nov. 2.
The secondary campus also will participate in the dress-up days for Red Ribbon Week. Jenny Scott, AJSH counselor, said the secondary will mirror NSES dress-up day themes.
“The junior high and high school students are also participating in a door decorating contest,” Scott said. “This year the students will decorate doors for their fifth period class.”
The prize for winning the door decorating contest is a pizza party, and the judges will be members of the community. The winning class will be announced at the pep rally on Friday.
