Pubdate: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 Source: Summit Daily News (CO) Copyright: 2004 Summit Daily News Contact: http://www.summitdaily.com/home.php Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/587 Author: Julie Sutor Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Red+Ribbon (Red Ribbon Week) SUMMIT SCHOOLS CELEBRATE RED RIBBON WEEK SUMMIT COUNTY - Summit students fought the war on drugs this month with the help of the Colorado Air National Guard. The thumping beats of helicopter rotor blades filled the air in Summit County last week as members of the Guard's Drug Demand Reduction Team touched down at six local schools to talk to students about the dangers of illegal drug use. "You go to the best school in the best state in the best country in the world," Capt. Glen Blackburn said through a bull horn to a crowd of Silverthorne Elementary students, minutes after touching down. "Because you live in the best country in the world, you have freedoms. And one of those freedoms is freedom of choice." The helicopter visits kicked off the schools' 10-day celebration of Red Ribbon Week, a national campaign aimed at preventing drug abuse among students. Throughout the past several days, schools have distributed red ribbons for students to wear in support of drug-free lifestyles. "I think it's important to be drug-free, because people who do drugs aren't as healthy," said Silverthorne fourth-grader Erica Duplan. "It affects your body. I like to run, and I wouldn't be able to run as fast if I did drugs. And I wouldn't be able to think either." So far this month, the Guard has visited about 75 schools throughout Colorado. "I love it," said pilot Ron Trani. "It beats flying circles around Denver. For two weeks every October, we try to shift our resources to reducing the demand for drugs by spending time in schools with students." Most other weeks, Trani and his colleagues provide overhead coverage for law enforcement during narcotics investigations. But the handful of days they spend with Colorado students make just as crucial an impact, he said. "It's a good influence on kids, because they'll remember it for years as they deal with the peer pressures out there," Trani said. According to Summit Prevention Alliance's Heather Gerhart, high-impact events like the helicopter landings facilitate important conversations for children about drug use. "It's such a big event to have a helicopter land at your school," Gerhart said. "It's one of those things they're going to go home and talk about and bring that awareness back to their families. And teachers have a bouncing-off point to bring the discussion into the classroom." Summit County Sheriff's Deputy Lamont Hall said the helicopter landings help reinforce his messages about law enforcement and drug use. "They're at the age where they're easily influenced by others, and they're exposed to situations with drugs and alcohol at younger and younger ages," Hall said. "It's important to teach them about the effects of drugs and alcohol on their minds and bodies. "It's also important for them to understand that law enforcement is there to help," Hall added. "They're not alone in these situations. We're people they can come to. There is a lot of support on our community." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek