Spring ISD Police Officer Fuentes and K-9 Paco demonstrate the narcotic detector dog’s skills during a Red Ribbon Week assembly at Major Elementary School.
Bammel Elementary School students and staff, from left, Jannel Calixterio, Bria Butler-Watts, Tarjai Braxton, Principal Dr. Berky Hernandez-Owolabi, Elvira Ngainsi Tchayep and Karmyn Campbell “sock it to drugs” on mismatched, crazy sock day, one of the school’s Red Ribbon Week activities.
At Marshall Elementary, second-grade student Adrianna Sanchez, from left, and her teacher Clare Adams “team up against drugs.”
HOUSTON – Oct. 27, 2016 – Spring ISD schools have scheduled a series of colorful dress-up days and learning activities in conjunction with the National Red Ribbon Celebration, Oct. 23-31. The various theme days across the district, for which students are invited to dress up, include: “I Elect to Be Drug Free,” “We’re too Bright for Drugs,” “Team Up Against Drugs,” “Sock it to Drugs,” and “Give Drugs the Boot,” to name a few.
At Link Elementary School, students are getting mustaches painted on their faces during their fine arts period one day to support the theme of “I Mustache you to be Drug Free.”
“Red Ribbon Week is dedicated to the belief that we should live safe, healthy and drug-free lives,” said Donna Trevino-Jones, Link principal. “We try to plan fun activities using clever ideas that raise students’ awareness of how extremely important it is for them to remain drug-free if they are to lead healthy, productive lives.”
Across the district, posters are being created, doors are being decorated and lessons are being learned using engaging activities to drive home the drug-free message while helping students remember to choose a healthy lifestyle.
Helping to bring the message directly to students were Spring ISD Police Officer Fuentes and K-9 Officer Paco, the district’s narcotic detector dog. The duo had several campus visits and demonstrations planned during Red Ribbon week, including stops at Reynolds Elementary School and Salyers Elementary School. During their visit to Major Elementary School, Paco demonstrated his highly trained sense of smell and Officer Fuentes spoke with students about staying away from drugs and about the importance of respecting themselves and others by not participating in bullying. He also shared a few Halloween tips about having fun while also staying safe.
Bammel, Beneke, Link and Thompson elementary schools incorporated literacy into their observance with storybook character parades that emphasize making good choices and showing good character by choosing to be drug-free.
“Literacy opens doors for our students to have more choices and fosters opportunities for them to have a better life. When children have more choices, they are more likely to make better decisions and stay away from things that are bad for them, such as drugs,” said Trevino-Jones.
The National Family Partnership organized the first red Ribbon Campaign in the late 1980’s in response to the murder of Enrique “Kike” Camarena, an agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency. Since then, communities across the United States participate in the Red Ribbon Celebration; a week-long series of community events that are intended to educate today’s youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.