Another haunting idea that kids learn during the week of Halloween is the scary reality of drug use and abuse.  Schools around the nation including at DeKalb West School celebrate Red Ribbon Week when students and teachers focus on the message to steer clear of drugs.

“Drugs are dangerous to you because it can give you loss of coordination, poor judgment, memory loss, loss of self-control, and slow reflexes,” explains Jourdyn Dolton, a 6th grader who is in School Resource Officer Lewis Carrick’s D.A.R.E. class. “They [drugs] can cause heart diseases, colds and upper respiratory problems, lung, cancer, mouth cancer, tooth loss, and other health problems. It can possibly yellow your teeth and cause bad breath, can dry your skin and cause wrinkles.” 

“Drugs are dangerous because they could kill you, and you can kill other people if they’re with you,” writes 4th grader Alexis Bennett.

Those were just a couple of the answers students gave during a daily contest to test their knowledge. Some of the questions included what is addiction, what is one side effect of taking a depressant, and what are some of the dangers of drugs.  Students put their answers in a box at lunchtime, and the winners selected won prizes provided by the DeKalb Prevention Coalition.

Earlier in the week, students signed a copy of the Red Ribbon pledge that said, “I pledge to grow up safe, healthy and drug free by understanding the dangers of drug use and abuse, respecting myself and being drug free, and spreading the word to family and friends about the importance of being healthy and drug free.

This year’s theme was “Life is Your Journey, Travel Drug Free.” Red Ribbon Week started in 1985 in response to the murder of a Drug Enforcement Agent. Ribbons were worn as a symbol of communities’ commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by drugs in America.