Pubdate: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 Source: Tahlequah Daily Press (OK) Copyright: Tahlequah Daily Press 2002 Contact: http://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2636 Author: Betty Smith ANTI-DRUG, VIOLENCE MESSAGES KICK OFF RED RIBBON WEEK Tahlequah students will participate in a variety of events, from serious to fun. One by one, the candles were snuffed out. Each represented an incident of school violence, committed by students - as remote as other areas around the country, as near as Fort Gibson. A series of skits presented at Tahlequah Junior High School presented messages against substance abuse and violence. The assembly kicked off Red Ribbon Week, an annual observance at many schools for the past few years. This morning, local elementary students were bused to Northestern State University for another anti-drug program featuring several musicians and performers. "We are here today to demonstrate the effects of choices of all kinds," said Tahlequah High School student Jamie Grosser, one of the students presenting the skits at TJHS. Preventionist Melissa Bethancourt told the students Red Ribbon Week is a time to focus on the effects of harmful behaviors, including substance abuse and violence. She said the week was founded in memory of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. "'Kiki' grew up in poverty in a home with dirt floors," she said. Despite this poor start, he completed college and joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as an agent. "He always said, 'I'm only one person, but I want to make a difference,'" Bethancourt said. While working as an undercover drug agent, he was kidnapped and murdered. Drugs kill, and drug money supports terror, Bethancourt said. Some of the students described a carload of teens struck by a drunk driver. "You lay there, still in the car, thinking about your family, your friends. What happened to your friends who were in the car with you? They all died. You died too," the students said. One of the younger participants gave a dramatic reading about a 3-year-old girl who lay in terror as her drunken, abusive father arrived home from the bar. The reading ended with the father's attack on the child. Other students, wearing black T-shirts and bandannas, portrayed cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, alcohol and other drugs as they attacked a drug user, killed her, and seduced other teens. The skit participants encouraged students to engage in positive activities, such as clubs and music. Two musicians performed for the group. Bethancourt said the week is intended to inform students about the dangers of drugs and violence brought on as young people, and as a country. "We've got a lot of concern going on at school today. We've got people in the counselor's office," Bethancourt said, referring to the most recent violence that occurred in Sallisaw over the weekend. Daniel Fears, 18, is accused of fatally shooting two people and wounding seven others during a shooting spree that began after a neighbor allegedly criticized Fears for driving recklessly near children. Bethancourt said she believes assemblies like the one Monday have an effect on the students. "Usually after we have an assembly, somebody will come in and say, 'I'm concerned about something,'" she said. She believes the assembly sets the tone for the week, one of seriousness. Some of the other activities, such as the one in which everyone is supposed to wear a hat or cap on Friday, are more lighthearted. Other Red Ribbon Week activities will include: * Today, "Team Up Against Drugs" day. Students will wear orange and white school colors. The Drug Free Youth group from THS will come during lunch to paint spirit faces for TJHS students, in preparation for tonight's game against Muskogee. * Wednesday, "Red Ribbon Day." Students are asked to wear red. The Drug Free Council will hand out red ribbons that say "I'm no fool, drugs aren't cool." * Thursday, "Grim Reaper" day. This year they will paint faces of death on Halloween day! Zombie faces on students, will represent the number of people who die each day because of alcohol or drugs. Bethancourt, the Grim Reaper, will pick these students randomly, out of the hall or classrooms. These students will wear signs stating their reason of death, such as heroin overdose, and are not allowed to talk for the rest of the day. The students can see for themselves just how many people die everyday. * Friday, "Put a cap on drugs," we need to protect our heads! Everyone will wear caps or hats to school that day. It's also "Sock it to drugs," where students will wear crazy, unusual socks. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom