Schools gear up for Red Ribbon Week

The Red Ribbon Week campaign kicks off Friday throughout St. Mary Parish with the theme “Shine Your Light, Do What’s Right! Be Drug-Free!”
The campaign also incorporates information about bullying, character-building and tobacco.
The National Family Partnership organized the first national Red Ribbon campaign providing drug awareness.
The idea came from the death of Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. He was close to exposing a multibillion dollar drug pipeline in Mexico, reaching to the highest levels of military, police, and government. Camarena was kidnapped and killed.
Angered by Camarena’s death, parents and youth across the nation started wearing red ribbons. This act was to raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by drugs in America.
Red Ribbon Week activities in St. Mary Parish begin Friday and last until Nov. 1.
“Red Ribbon Week is exciting,” said Lena Henry, St. Mary Parish Red Ribbon volunteer committee member. “It’s informative for parents and children.”
Henry is a former St. Mary Parish school resource officer and former 13-year veteran of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Friday activities begin with a decorating day in schools.
Teachers receive mini-grants to purchase materials for decorating doors or designated areas in schools. Contests are held for the best decorated.
The parade of schools event on Saturday usually turns out over 1,000 parents and students. Schools compete to see who can create the best drug-free banner and cheer.
After the competition, families can enjoy a fun day at 11 a.m. Zoo to Boo will be across the street on the grounds of Barnyard Zoo.
The day of prayer events will be on two Sundays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. Churches are asked to commit some of their worship time to the effect drugs have on families and communities.
Students will wear orange Monday to mark Bully Free Day. Students in Pre-K to sixth grade are scheduled to sign bully free pledge cards.
Emphasis on character in schools will be the focus of Character Counts Day Tuesday. Grade-level appropriate character lessons and activities are implemented for students.
Wear Red Day is Wednesday, Oct. 28.
DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Day is scheduled for Oct. 29. Law enforcement will visit schools throughout the week to accommodate all schools participating in the event.
There are four DARE officers in the parish.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s office has one DARE officer covering schools in unincorporated areas. Morgan City, Franklin and Chitimacha have their own DARE officer.
DARE officers will keep their regular classroom schedules for the week. They teach fifth-graders 10 lessons covering topics from drugs to bullying.
Occasionally, officers conduct 15-minute visitation sessions for kindergartners and third-grade students.
McGruff the Crime Dog and Lady, Morgan City Police Department K-9 officer, will be in schools throughout the week.
DARE programs are important because students get positive, reliable information from a law enforcement officer, St. Mary Parish Detective Howard “Buddy” Rogers said.
Rogers supervises DARE and school resource officers (SRO). In addition, he is a former DARE officer of 13 years.
“Kids are hungry for information,” said Rogers. “If they get it from a reliable, trustworthy source, they’re not going to get bad information, which results in bad choices. Kids can make good decisions.”
Tobacco-Free Day is Friday, Oct. 30. Loved ones of students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to be smoke-free on this day.
Operation Red Light, a convoy of emergency vehicles traveling across the parish, will be Saturday, Oct. 31.
The motorcade begins in Amelia and ends at Glencoe Charter School in Franklin.
“Just give a thumbs up or wave to show our law enforcement, 911, and fire departments appreciation,” said Gidget Everitt, Red Ribbon Week coordinator.
Afterwards, a luncheon will be held for motorcade participants.
Red Ribbon week “makes an impact on the children so much that they go back home and share with their parents,” Henry said.

This story was written by Shea Drake of The Daily Review staff. Reach her at sdrake@daily-review.com