Red Ribbon Week, held annually during the last week in October, is a nationwide effort to celebrate healthy, drug-free living and to motivate youth across the country to choose to live drug-free. The week serves as a great opportunity to create dialogue with youth, to mobilize your community, and to honor law enforcement officers who work every day to keep communities safe from drugs and the associated consequences. Hundreds of organizations across the country use Red Ribbon Week to bring drug prevention messaging to their communities through events and activities.The Youth Leadership Council (YLC) at Van Buren Middle/High School did several activities to help engage youth and parents in the fight against nicotine use and alcohol abuse during Red Ribbon Week 2018. The high school YLC members placed a message with cups in the fence by the school parking lot saying “#be substance free”. This was a great place for everyone to get a chance to read the message as they drove in and out of the parking lot for school and school-related events. The Middle School YLC Members held a week long scavenger hunt where they hid tobacco facts in the middle school and students found the facts and answered questions with those facts for a chance to win a prize.
A group of high school YLC students decorated two Boards of Horror at the Middle/High School. One displayed the number of deaths that occurred during wars beginning with the war of 1812 and then on the last day shared the facts on how many deaths each year are caused by drunk driving and alcohol abuse. The second board shared information on the number of people killed by different serial killers and on the last day shared the number of people who die each year due to tobacco use. The Boards of Horror help to educate the students about the consequences of what substance abuse can do to people’s lives.
During the Regional Volleyball game the Youth Leadership Council had a table at the event that allowed them to talk to the people coming to support the game about Red Ribbon Week and the work they are doing in the community. They distributed bracelets, pencils, nonpermanent tattoos, and informational brochures on tobacco, vaping, alcohol policies, and a proposed social host ordinance. They also had Mr. Gross mouth on display for the people to see. This mouth shows how a person’s tongue, teeth, and gums are affected by tobacco use.
For more information on Red Ribbon Week or the Youth Leadership Council, you may contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-3334 ext. 1017 or via email at safe.coalition@van-burencsd.org.
Take time to talk to your teen about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. For information on talking to your teens check out the coalition’s resource page: http://www.van-buren.k12.ia.us/vnews/display.v/SEC/RESOURCES%7CSAFE%20COALITION%3E%3EResources
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