Schools to celebrate red ribbon week

The Russellville City School system will be participating in Red Ribbon Week Oct. 25 through Oct. 29 in an effort to make students aware of the harmful consequences of drug use.

Each school will be participating in different activities throughout the week to emphasize each student’s willingness to lead a drug-free life.

Russellville High School and Russellville Middle School will support the week’s activities by wearing T-shirts that support each day’s specific theme such as cartoon character shirts for “Drugs Are Not in My Character” day and concert shirts for “Rocking Drug Free” day. 

Students at these schools will also participate in a bookmark contest in their social science classes utilizing the theme “Drugs Are Not in My Character.”

Russellville Elementary School will have their students wear the clothing inside out for “Drugs Turn You Inside Out” day and students will get to wear their Halloween costumes on Friday for “Hocus Pocus – Drugs Aren’t My Focus” day.

Students at West Elementary School will be wearing red ribbon stickers and teachers will be briefly explaining the harmful effects of drugs.

“We’re been celebrating red ribbon week at all the Russellville city schools for many years,” Safe and Drug Free Schools Counselor Nancy Cooper said.

Red Ribbon Week started as a movement to honor the memory of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who was working undercover as a Drug Enforcement Administration officer when he was kidnapped and killed on February 7, 1987.

Family and friends used the red ribbons to honor Camarena and the work he did and to remind those who saw the ribbons that even one person could make a difference.

In 1988, Congress officially declared Red Ribbon Week to be observed during the last full week of October.