Red Ribbon Week continues
The 2023 Red Ribbon Week campaign is winding down, but organizers still have events planned for the final two days on Thursday and Friday.
Students at both the elementary and secondary campuses have been involved in dress-up days, contests, and daily tokens to remind them to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
The nationwide theme for 2023 is “Be Kind toYour Mind, Live Drug Free,” which was observed locally on Oct. 23-27.
The event is sponsored by Albany ISD and the AlbanyTaskForceonDrug and Alcohol Abuse. This is the 35th year that the local school has participated in the campaign that was first organized nationally in 1986.
Students still have two final days to participate in dress-up days, with daily and overall winners named at both campuses. The dress-up days at the secondary campus are sponsored by the Albany Student Council.
The themes for the two remaining days at the elementary campus are Color Wars (specific colors for each grade level) on Thursday and “Red Rally for Drug Free!” (Wear red from head to toe) on Friday.
At the junior/senior high school, the theme for Thursday is “Anything ButBackpacks,”with“Red Out” (wear red head to toe) on Friday.
Poster Contest
Entries for the poster contest at Nancy Smith Elementary are due by Friday, Oct. 27 at 9:00 a.m. in the school office.
Cash prizes will be awarded for the top three winners in each of four categories.
The age categories include Pre-K, Head Start andkindergarten,firstand second grades, third and fourth grades, and fifth and sixth grades.
First place will receive $25, followed by $15 for second, and $10 for third in each age category.
Posters should be made on a half-size or quartersized sheet of poster board with the student’s name and grade on the back.
Door Decoration Contest
Judging for the door contest at the secondary campus will be done on Friday. The winners of the contest will receive a pizza party next week.
The doors of each second period class will be ranked by a panel of outside judges, according to counselor Brittney Harmon.
Harmon provided short videos with activities for WIN time on Monday through Thursday for the secondary campus.
The Red Ribbon campaign, including supplies and prizes, were funded by the Albany Task Force.
Background info.
The first Red Ribbon campaign was organized in 1986 by a grass roots organization of parents dedicated to protecting communities from the destruction causedbyalcohol and drug abuse.
The red ribbon was adopted as a symbol of the movement in honor of Enrique Camarena, an agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who was kidnapped and killed while investigating drug traffickers.
Since 1986, the campaign has reached tens of millions of U.S. children and has been recognized by the U.S. Congress.
The Red Ribbon organization recommendsthat parents talk with their children about drug abuse prevention, take a pledge to avoid drug abuse, and lock up any prescription drugs.
