Red Ribbon winners named

By Melinda L. Lucas

The 2019 “Red Ribbon Week” campaign wrapped up on Monday with a special secondary assembly about the dangers of vaping and drunk driving, and organizers were pleased with the district-wide participation.

“Red Ribbon Week went very well, with lots of participation,” said Albany elementary school counselor Susie Beard. 

Poster winners were announced at the Nancy Smith Elementary campus on Monday morning.

The results of a new social media competition at the secondary level were announced at the pep rally on Friday.

Red Ribbon Week in Albany began locally on Monday, Oct. 21. This was the 31st 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.

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, according to AJSH counselor Jenny Scott.

Instead of the usual door decorations, students in different “advisory periods” came up with strategies for social medium campaigns. 

Ashley Terrell and M.J. Reneau’s combined advisory class won the pizza party sponsored by the Drug Task Force with a video emphasizing that the effects of vaping “don’t go away.”

The second place dessert party was earned by Rod Britting’s class. The entry was a photo of several members of the staff, who dressed up as the rock band Kiss. The caption, which was posted along with the picture on social media, was “Rock and roll is cool, but don’t juul. Kiss drugs goodbye.”

Honorable mention was given to Kevin Hill’s class for their video, “Don’t Taco About Drugs,” and to Jamie Wilson class for a poster with the hashtag #lessdrinkingmorethinking.

“We just hope the events last week encouraged kids to think and hopefully discouraged them from using any substances,” said Scott.

NSES Events

Elementary students participated in special activities during the Red Ribbon celebration as well. Beard scheduled 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 for the optional competition.  

“Prizes will be awarded to the winners by members of the Albany Drug Task Force at the upcoming awards assembly on Nov. 14,” said Beard. 

Poster winners by grade level were:

Pre-K, Head Start, and kindergarten classes: 1. Dally Bezner.

First and second grades: 1. Kalison Oliver, 2. Karter Thompson, 3. Luke Smith.

Grades three and four: 1. Avery Gleitz, 2. Tara Cauble, 3. KarLea Sanchez. 

Fifth and sixth grades: 1. Zak Presley, 2. Tatum Grady, 3. Ashlyn Miller.