Pubdate: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 Source: News-Sentinel, The (Fort Wayne, IN) Copyright: 2006 The News-Sentinel Contact: http://www.fortwayne.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1077 Author: Jeremiah Larkin KIDS SEE RED, SEEK DRUG FREEDOM Young people pledge to remain drug-free in honor of Enrique Camarena, a fallen DEA agent. This week marks the 21st annual Red Ribbon Week for schools in Allen County and across the United States. Local schools are participating in all types of fun activities designed to promote saying "no" to drugs. The events range from basketball free-throw shooting contests and a special appearance by Ronald McDonald to a drug-free pledge that will be recited over intercoms after the Pledge of Allegiance. "The events are all-age appropriate, but with the same message to the kids. You can say 'no,'" said Debbie Morgan of Fort Wayne Community Schools. Both high schools and elementary schools are involved and will be wearing the red ribbon anti-drug symbol throughout the week. The symbol of the red ribbon came from the death of a former U.S. Marine turned U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent, Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. He worked undercover in Mexico investigating a drug cartel that supposedly involved members of the Mexican army, police and government. He was abducted in February 1985, and his body was found in a shallow grave a month later. In order to honor Camarena's fight against illegal drugs, friends and family wore red satin badges to commemorate him. Afterward, coalitions formed and adopted the red ribbon as a symbol to fight drug abuse. The National Family Partnership was the first to organize the nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign, which has since spread the anti-drug message to millions of children. "The more students who wear the ribbons, the more influence they'll have on other kids to show them that it is not foolish," said Assistant Principal Mary Beth Stevens of Lane Middle School. She hopes Red Ribbon Week encourages students to make good choices about the way they treat their bodies. "This way the kids help to enable each other instead of contributing to peer pressure," she said. Jeff Studebaker, behavior specialist at East Allen County Schools, has been working with the Bowen Center on the problem of drug abuse, specifically for high school students. "We have made an effort to utilize the services of the Bowen Center year-round to gain constant awareness for safe choices," said Studebaker. Some of the events he has organized are activity nights after football games at Grace Gathering Church and getting parents to sign a pledge to keep a party-safe home for community teenagers. The main goal of Red Ribbon Week is to get students of all ages to pledge they will not take drugs. School officials hope this pledge will empower children to think and make the right choice when offered unsafe substances. "I pledge allegiance to myself And who I want to be, 'Cause I can make my dreams come true If I believe in me. I pledge to stay in school and learn The things I need to know, To make the world a better place For kids like me to grow. I pledge to keep my dreams alive And be all I can be. I know I can, and that's because I pledge to stay drug free!" RED RIBBON WEEK EVENTS Below Is a List of Fort Wayne-Area Schools and Some of the Events Planned for Red Ribbon Week: Fort Wayne Community Schools - - Shawnee Middle School, 1000 E. Cook Road, has a classroom door-decorating contest, with most creative anti-drug theme winning a pizza party. Each student also was given a drug-free numbered bookmark, with five numbers called each day for door prizes. They are also celebrating with themed dress-up days. - - Haley Elementary School, 2201 Maplecrest Road, is celebrating with themed dress-up days, with today's theme as Inside Out Day. - - Shambaugh Elementary School, 5320 Rebecca Drive, will celebrate Friday with a drawing for prizes for students wearing red. A free-throw contest is also scheduled, with a winner from each grade to be chosen. - - Snider High School, 4600 Fairlawn Pass, has red "Don't monkey around with drugs" bracelets on sale all week for $1 from the Students Against Destructive Decisions. - - Pleasant Center Elementary School, 2323 Pleasant Center Road, is celebrating today with Wacky Wednesday by encouraging kids to wear wacky clothing. - - Holland Elementary School, 7000 Red Haw Drive, gave pencils with the words "Drug-Free" on them to all students and is hosting a canned-food drive. - - Harris Elementary School, 4501 Thorngate Drive, will have a clown visiting classrooms Friday and is encouraging kids to dress up as clowns as well. - - Lane Middle School, 4901 Vance Ave., tied ribbons around trees and light poles in the school courtyard and had each class sign an anti-drug pledge card. East Allen County Schools - - New Haven Elementary School, 800 Homestead Drive, New Haven, is hosting a food drive and anti-tobacco activities with students. - - Monroeville Elementary School, 401 S. Monroe, Monroeville, had an all-school assembly Monday with Ronald McDonald. WHAT DRUGS DO TO YOU Here Are Some Facts on the Effects of Drugs: - - Tobacco is known for causing lung cancer and other diseases when smoked and leads to the deaths of more than 100,000 people a year. - - Marijuana is known commonly as a gateway drug to other more harmful drugs. People who use it have a possibility of paranoia and anxiety, loss of coordination and short-term memory. Psychological dependence on the drug is also possible. - - Alcohol, when abused, can lead to alcohol addiction and possible overdose and death by alcohol poisoning. - - Cocaine is an extremely addictive stimulant that has been linked to heart attack, which increases sevenfold in likeliness for users. - - Heroin is extremely addictive and leads to intense withdrawal symptoms if use is stopped. Source: Wikipedia.org - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine