Red Ribbon Week 2019: Day 1/ Kick Off

The theme for Monday, October 21st, 2019 is "Be All You Can Be, Drug Free!"

Although Red Ribbon Week is always kicked off with an assembly, we were given a treat with Ms. Mary Alice presenting the occasion. During the occasion, Ms. Mary Alice covered the story of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.

According to Get Smart About Drugs, Kiki Camarena was a Special Agent for the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency). In 1985, Camarena was tortured and murdered by drug traffickers while working on an investigation in Mexico. As a tribute to Camarena, one of his high school friends and Congressman Duncan Hunter united to create "Camarena Clubs" where they would wear red ribbons to show their opposition to drugs. In 1988, the first Red Ribbon Week was coordinated by the National Family Partnership. To read more, check out getsmartaboutdrugs.org.

To begin on the right foot, the boys had the opportunity to sign the Red Ribbon Pledge. There is also a pledge for parents located here. Check it out and see how you can match our students' drive to remain safe, healthy, and drug-free.

To symbolically release any hold that drugs may have on our students and in memory of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, our student released red balloons in celebration.

To wrap up the day, the boys had the opportunity to hear Mr. Jason Ritter from Homeland Security talk about his professional background and the technology used to keep drugs out of our communities. While the boys who have been here awhile remember the police dog that only spoke German, the boys had the opportunity to see the operation and scope of a drone used to locate and document drug operations.

Check out the pictures from our first day below: