Annual Red Ribbon Week At St. Joseph’s Teaches Sobriety

During the week of October 23, students at St. Joseph’s Indian School observed the importance of sobriety with five drug-awareness-themed dress-up days. Monday staff and students wore red for the week’s color sake. Tuesday was Twin Day when everyone paired up to dress alike. Wednesday’s theme was “St. Joe Proud to Be Drug-Free,” expressed with ribbon skirts and shirts or St. Joe apparel. On Thursday, sports team shirts and jerseys spread the message: “Team Up Against Drugs.” Friday was the best-for-last favorite – pajama day – with the reminder, “Follow Your Dreams.”

Classrooms decorated their doors, vying for a coveted class pizza party. Fourth- through twelfth-grade homes also competed for a pizza party by assembling theme-based posters. First- through third-grade students participated in a coloring contest for cash prizes. A candy-counting contest sweetened the week’s competition by guessing how many Red Hot Tamales were in the jar. “The winner takes the jar.”

Second graders John Black Spotted Horse, London Swift Hawk and Weston Loudner were all in agreement – the best part of the week was dressing up for the day. Classmate Jace Bearshield preferred the coloring contest. The class proudly showed off their door-decorating entry, a seasonally themed “Drugs Are Creepy” entry featuring “Creepy Carrots!” based on the so-titled book by Aaron Reynolds. A poster to the side proclaimed, “Let’s Be Brief. Don’t Do Drugs!” based on the sequel “Creepy Pair of Underwear!”

St. Joseph’s Indian School has actively participated in Red Ribbon Week for more than 20 years and develops updated drug and alcohol curriculums related to each age group. Red Ribbon Week began as a tribute to fallen Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique Camerena, who in 1985 was murdered by drug traffickers he was investigating in Mexico. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program.