In St. Louis County, 16.3 percent say that smoking marijuana presents “no risk at all.” 

Red Ribbon Week is an annual, national organization created for younger people from kindergarten to 12th grade within the schools and the local communities.

Red Ribbon Week helps kids make good choices about a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a drug and alcohol free status, according to redribbon.org.

Red Ribbon Week was recently celebrated, Oct. 26-29, to praise students for being drug free.

“It’s an incentive for people to dress up and initiate the fact that people should be drug free,” Jensen Bee (9) said. “So it was cool to participate and do a team effort with my whole fifth hour class.”

Students participated in Red Ribbon week by playing trivia during lunch, signing documents in which they promise to stay drug free or dressing up throughout the week. There were different themes each day:

• Monday was crazy sock day.
• Tuesday was wear your pajamas to school.
• Wednesday they could bring $1 for a hat.
• Thursday was wear red in support of Red Ribbon Week.

Students raised $250 on hat day. This money went to the Adopt-A-Family program for the holiday season.

Dressing up, students actively participated, sending out a message that will help out teens in everyday situations like going to parties or hanging out with friends.

“I participated because I like the message that it sends out of saying no to drugs and alcohol,” Sarah Schulz (10) said. “If you go to a party and there’s drinking, obviously you’re going to leave. Don’t make dumb decisions, and don’t get caught up in that stuff.”

Fifth hours competed; the class that dressed up the most got a pizza party. Two classes tied; Mrs. Sherri Klumb’s AP calc class and Mr. Robert Spellmeyer’s drafting class.

“This is all about care, safety and concern of students that are 18 and younger,” Mr. Charlie Crouther, interim principal, said. “It’s a message that I hope that students listen to what they were doing because it’s very important to save lives, keep people healthy and make wise and correct choices.”

Ms. Amanda Halbert, study hall teacher, spearheaded this campaign. She decided to take more of a ‘Spirit Week approach’ by doing themed dress-up days and provided ways to participate in activities at lunch. Emily Wos, Grant Eickel, Kate Griese, and Ali Reinhardt helped Ms. Halbert and gave up their lunch time throughout Red Ribbon Week.

These students handed out beads to people who signed the pledges and collected dollars if participants wanted stickers.

The goal is to get the entire community involved.

“Teachers can participate in Red Ribbon Week by being a mentor and a positive role model for our students by also making good choices for themselves,” Ms. Halbert said.

Red Ribbon Week was a celebration  of a drug and alcohol free lifestyle, a chance to spread the word of living healthy, no matter the age.