It’s that time again. Time to pull out your crazy socks, your tie-dye T’s, and your cool superhero costumes. It’s red ribbon week!

Red ribbon week is a nationally-recognized week-long event created to bring awareness to drug, alcohol, and tobacco used in schools across America. Red Ribbon week was put into action in 1985 after the kidnapping, torture and murder of an Ex-DEA agent in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was an undercover agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA.  He helped take down multiple drug operation during his time as an officer, including destroying a 2500 acre marijuana plantation. When drug lord Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo figured out it was Camarena who initiated the destruction of his plantation, he had Camarena abducted and taken to his personal ranch, where he was tortured and eventually killed over the course of 30 hours.  He was only 37 years old.

Camarena’s legacy lives on, as we honor his life, work, and tragic death on the last week of October.  This is a time to show your support to stopping drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in schools by participating in the school-wide events, wearing some sort of crazy clothing, and bearing a red ribbon. The red ribbon represents that you are drug and alcohol-free and that you support the movement to get addictive substances out of  schools.

And us kids aren’t the only people that like to put on the cool clothing to show their support. “I believe that dressing up is supporting awareness and awareness increases your social-emotional learning and EQ, which will make you help more informed choices and control your choices. Plus, it’s fun!” said Mr. Enrique Garza, Leadership teacher.

Our student council officers love to get  involved “I like to do the red ribbon week stuff  because it makes people not want to do drugs or bully others, and it helps let me set a good example for my peers.” Aria Hegde, student council Parliamentarian (7), said. ”I don’t want to turn up one day and have the whole world giving billions of dollars to drugs. We should be growing ideas, not spending money on rehab.”, says Anoushka Narayan, student council 7th Grade Vice President.

Red ribbon week is a time to think about how we can ensure a more positive future for ourselves and our peers. And that future is a drug-free one. When faced with the choice to do drugs, just remember: “The Best Me is Drug-Free!”