What is Red Ribbon Week?

 Red Ribbon Week is an Anti, Alcohol, Drugs and violence campaign that encourages kids to stay away from drugs and make good choices. Sadly lots of kids and teens get into these addictive and harmful behaviors. Red Ribbon Week is a campaign that explains to kids how to say no to drugs. The Red Ribbon Campaign is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd – 31st each year.

How does Canyon Vista celebrate?

Canyon Vista makes saying no fun by dressing up in different themes. On Monday, Oct,28 we kicked off the week by wearing are mustang spirit wear to “Team up against drugs.”On Tuesday  Oct.29 we wore crazy Hair because “hair’s to being drug-free!” On Wednesday oct,30 we left drugs in the past and embraced a different time period like the 60s,50s, 80s, 90s, Renaissance and so much more! On Thursday Oct.31 it was Halloween! The CVMS mustangs dressed up in their best  costumes to “spook the drugs.” And to conclude red ribbon week we put drugs asleep by wearing there favorite PJs.

Why do we celebrate Red Ribbon Week?

In 1988, the National Family Partnership coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary Chairpersons.  Since then, the Red Ribbon campaign has taken on national significance, and NFP continues to coordinate the campaign for families, schools and communities across the nation each year.  Wearing red ribbons during October continues to represent our pledge to live drug-free and honors the sacrifice of all who have lost their lives in the fight against drugs.

Red Ribbon Week began after the kidnapping, torture,  and murder of a DEA agent (Enrique “Kiki” Camarena) in 1985. For over four years he had been in Guadalajara, Mexico working undercover, with those efforts leading to the discovery of a multi-million dollar narcotics manufacturing operation in Chihuahua, Mexico.

After his death, people started wearing red ribbons to honor Kiki’s sacrifice. Today, millions of people celebrate Red Ribbon Week by wearing red ribbons, participating in community anti-drug events, and pledging to live drug-free lives. The first  National Red Ribbon Week was created by the National Family Partnership in 1988. NFP continues to coordinate the campaign for families, schools and communities across the nation each year.

As part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Red Ribbon Week campaign, the DEA and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are co-sponsoring a Campus Video PSA Contest for colleges and universities to promote the importance of preventing alcohol abuse and the non-medical use of prescription stimulants among college students.

In 2015, Red Ribbon Week claims to be the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the country — making a bigger impact than other popular campaigns like D.A.R.E., or Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

According to Sapp, Red Ribbon Week spreads awareness to nearly every school in the United States, reaching over 91,000 of them, with close to 80 million participants nationwide.