Drug-free empowerment week in full swing at SHS

Some of the images from this week's anti-drug awareness activities at Spaulding High School. (Courtesy photos)

The last week in October has been "Red Ribbon Week" at Spaulding High School with students coming together to construct placards and other activities in making the pledge to go drug-free.

"Red Ribbon Week" has been observed in the United States since 1985. It was established in response to the murder of 37-year-old Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena. He was working in Mexico at the time, and on his way to meet his wife for lunch, when he was abducted, tortured, and eventually killed because of his efforts to rid communities of illegal drugs.

In honor of his memory, friends, family, and community members began wearing red badges of satin, to show that one person CAN make a difference. Community Coalitions started to form to share resources and strengthen the message. Today, the "pledge to be drug free" is taken by tens of thousands of teens throughout the nation. Bridging the Gaps is the Coalition that spearheads Prevention efforts in Rochester. It partners with schools, law enforcement, elected officials, and businesses to organize and promote programs that empower our youth to make healthy choices and embrace a drug-free lifestyle.

As part of this week's effort the Rochester Police Department will be wearing Red Ribbon pins and have magnetized Red Ribbons on all patrol cars through Tuesday as a show of support for the weeklong campaign in the city targeting drug abuse.

Both Rochester Middle School and Spaulding High School will have week-long Red Ribbon Prevention Awareness activities, including lunchtime banner signings and trivia contests (students take a Pledge to be drug- free), prevention-themed Dress-Up days (like hat day "Put a Cap on Drugs" and pajama day "Dreaming of a Drug-Free Community").

The school week culminates in both school populations gathering, along with faculty and support staff, all wearing Red, for an aerial school photograph.

Another anti-drug event that week will be ZOMBIES - "Don't Do Drugs!" that occurs on Friday evening and will comprise Middle School Youth-2-Youth participants marching in the Zombie Parade! Members worked with their advisers to design prevention-themed Zombie shirts. Volunteers will be helping the students with costume and makeup at the Rochester Police Department prior to that event.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Between 6 and 7 million Americans, age 12 and older, have misused a prescription painkiller (e.g., OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin), sedative (e.g., Valium, Xanax), or stimulant (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall) in the past month. (SAMHSA)
• Every day, 2000 kids get high for the first time on a prescription drug (DEA).
• Drug overdoses have now surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. (CDC).

Many teens and young adults still believe that Rx medications are safer to use than illegal drugs, and sadly these medications prove all too easy to get and are as addictive and dangerous as illicit drugs. Talking regularly to youth about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs reduces their risk of using in the first place.

For more info about empowering youth to be drug free visit BridgingTheGapsNH.org.