As you walked around the building this week, 10/24-10/28, you might have noticed ribbons hanging on doors of classrooms and banisters, seen new posters with anti-drug slogans, or even signed your name on the anti-drug pledge in the main lobby. This week marks National Red Ribbon Week in the United States, the largest anti-drug campaign in the country.

The red ribbon campaign began in 1985, when US Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was murdered. To honor his life and his fight against illicit drugs, those close to Camarena started to wear red badges. Groups of parents who were angry with the danger drugs posed to their children, adopted Camarena’s story and his philosophy – even just one person could make a difference. Since 1988, National Family Partnership has sponsored a Red Ribbon celebration every year.

Madison High School has once again decked its halls to celebrate and raise awareness for this year’s campaign: Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free. This theme, created by seventh graders from New York, inspires participants to “make significant daily contributions to their communities by being the best they can be because they live drug-free!” (https://www.redribbon.org/) Students make the promise to remain drug-free when signing the board in the main lobby. What would motivate a student to sign this pledge? When asked, sophomore Nina Tadano said she signed because she thinks “it is important to spread awareness and emphasize that a happy and healthy drug-free life is possible for everyone.”

Red Ribbon Week may end on the 28th, but the sentiment will carry through within the minds of all those that took the pledge to keep our community healthy, safe, and drug-free forever.
(redribbon.org)