Red Ribbon winners named

The 2018 “Red Ribbon Week” campaign wrapped up last Friday, and organizers were pleased with the participation.

“Red Ribbon Week went very well, with lots of participation,” said Albany secondary school counselor Dee Dee Waggoner. 

Red Ribbon Week in Albany began locally on Monday, Oct. 22. This was the 30th straight year that the national event, designed to draw as much attention as possible to the problems of drug and alcohol abuse and its prevention, has been conducted locally. 

The event is sponsored locally by Albany ISD and the Albany Task Force on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, with support provided by several other state and local agencies.

Numerous activities were planned for both elementary and secondary school campuses to complete the special week.

Secondary Events

A full five-day observation of Red Ribbon Week was held on the secondary campus, and many of the students participated in dress-up days.

Classes came up with slogans and door decorations for the hallway, and members of the local Drug Task Force judged the doors on Friday. Winners  were announced during the Friday pep rally. 

At least 15 doors were decorated by students and teachers for the contest. 

Door Winners

Danita Johnston’s business English class won the pizza party sponsored by the Drug Task Force with the fortune teller “Zoltar,” who encouraged students to “Choose Your Future.”

The second place door was decorated by Rick Davis’ calculus class, and featured cut-out pictures of the students as Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, and Davis as “The Wizard of Oz.” Readers were urged to “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” and “Travel Drug Free.”  

Ryder Peacock’s technology class placed third with an i-Phone displaying apps reminding folks “We Have Better Things To Do Than Drugs.”

Honorable mention was given to Jennifer Everitt’s English class’s owl, who proclaimed “Owl Never Do Drugs.”

NSES Events

Elementary students participated in special activities during the Red Ribbon celebration as well. Event coordinator Leigh Lowe scheduled three themed dress-up days to increase awareness to stay drug free. 

Another special activity was the annual drug-free poster contest.

As they have the past few years, students at Nancy Smith Elementary School competed for cash prizes by promoting the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. Participating children designed and entered posters which were judged. Results were announced Friday. 

“Prizes will be awarded to the winners by members of the Albany Drug Task Force at the upcoming awards assembly on Nov. 16 at 1:30 p.m.,” said Lowe. 

Poster winners by grade level were:

Pre-K, Head Start, and kindergarten classes: 1. McCamey Vaughn.

First and second grades: 1. Avery Gleitz, 2. Carly Kreitler, 3. Abby McBee.

Grades three and four: 1. Bailey Prater, 2. Hattie Braly, 3. Sumer McBay. 

Fifth and sixth grades: 1. Braylee Clark, 2. Cheyanne Thomas, 3. Keira Caudel.