Helping spread the awareness of the consequences of drugs and alcohol, Red Ribbon Week always falls during the last week of October.
This American tradition started in the memory of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enriqué “Kiki” Camarena.
“Red Ribbon Week is not [an intervention], it is an awareness program. If you can get the message out there early it shows you can have fun in life without drugs,” said Interact Club co-adviser Jessica Isern.
Red Ribbon Week launched when Camarena met his untimely death while investigating a drug cartel supposedly containing members of the Mexican army, police and government. This event led to clubs across America pledging each year to stay drug free.
“We often hear stay drug and alcohol free, but during this week it really promotes [the message],” said Isern.
Through out the week, the bulletin featured a fact about drug and alcohol use and on Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Interact Club members had a booth with information pamphlets out at lunch.
“It helps spread awareness about drugs and how you shouldn’t use them. It shows the affect of what could happen,” said sophomore Gabrielle Finley.
During the upper classmen lunch, senior Kyle Lomax performed a rap about staying drug and alcohol free. PV students also took part in pledging to stay free of drugs by placing their handprints on a poster.
The PV choir, the PV Madrigals and some of the drama students traveled to six elementary schools in Chico, including Shasta, Emma Wilson, Hooker Oak and three others. The PV students helped spread the awareness of the effects of drugs and alcohol.
“The day of the elementary school assemblies was one of the most fun days that I’ve had on the job because we saw the high school students interact with the elementary school students,” said Isern.
The high school students traveled around to the schools to help spread the dangers of participating in drugs and/or alcohol.
“[We use] primary prevention, which means you start teaching early, so the hope is that the students won’t use drugs and alcohol later, especially in high school,” said youth counselor John Siebal.
With all of the activities during the week, at PV and off campus, the school hopes that the students received the message of staying away from drugs and alcohol.
“[Red Ribbon Week was made] to influence that drugs are a bad choice to make and you should stay away from them,” said junior Darren Thomas.
This long time tradition has not faded over the years and PV stills proudly participates in Red Ribbon Week each year.