Have you heard of Kaiserslautern Middle School (KMS)? KMS is a federally operated school managed by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade educational programs on behalf of the United States Department of Defense (DoD). Over the last few years, KMS, which is located in Kaiserslautern, Germany, has planned and participated in various Red Ribbon Week activities.

This year, KMS counselors and PTSA members have joined forces to create a host of fun and educational activities for their students, including a poster art project featuring this year’s Red Ribbon Theme, Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free.™ Samples of their creative artwork are currently on display in the commissary, post office, café, and community bank, all of which are located on the Vogelweh Military Base in Germany.

“Having a serious conversation with this age group can make a difference,” said Susan Sondermann, current KMS PTSA President. “We want our students, teachers and parents talking to each other about the risks and the realities related to drugs and alcohol which is especially important in the military community,” she adds. “Military kids go through so much from family separations due to deployments, to multiple moves. It’s not easy.”

As part of their extended Red Ribbon Week celebrations, local school administrators will be featured on the Armed Forces Network (AFN) Radio to discuss the importance of drug and alcohol prevention this month. The KMS PTSA is also sponsoring a writing competition and hosting a Red Ribbon Spirit Week which will highlight the following: "Don't Get Tied Up in Drugs,” "Team Up Against Drugs and Violence" and "Dreaming of a Drug-Free World."  KMS will also be participating in the National Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest, which is open to legal residents of the United States.

“Past research has shown that the hardships military kids face can lead to an increased risk when it comes to drug and alcohol use, said Sondermann.” We are passionate about Red Ribbon Week because of the message it sends.   We want the best for our kids.  We want to see them be happy. We already know they are brave, and above all we want to see them be drug free!”

In celebration of Red Ribbon Week, Natural High will be hosting a special Q&A with Psychologist and Comedian Matt Bellace to help us better understand substance abuse and the importance of living naturally high. Click here to register: https://557v5qk2.pages.infusionsoft.net/

Teenagers are often faced with many different kinds of temptations as they become young adults. Vaping, smoking and alcohol are just a few common examples of substances that young people are challenged to try. Click on the link below for tips from the Drug Free America Foundation on how teens can protect themselves from making poor life choices when placed in uncomfortable situations.

https://www.dfaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Protective-Factors-for-Youth.pdf

You may already be aware that each year schools and families across the country join the drug-free movement by participating in the National Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest. Did you also know that legal residents in any of the United States territories: American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, and on military bases abroad are eligible to participate? Each Photo Contest winner will be granted $1,000 for the school of their choice to be used for drug prevention, and an iPad for themselves, so don’t wait! Gather your teams, put your thinking caps on, and get creative!  We look forward to seeing your fantastic photos. Contest runs through November 1. Visit our contest page for details.

Print out this Red Ribbon Word Search and see how many words you can find. 
Download the Red Ribbon Word Search.

Did you know the Drug Enforcement Administration, also known as the DEA, is responsible for enforcing controlled substances, laws and regulations in the United States? The DEA investigates and prosecutes individuals who grow, manufacture, or distribute drugs. As the nation’s largest drug prevention effort, the Red Ribbon Campaign and the DEA have worked alongside each other, hosting numerous awareness activities to ensure that deaths like Kiki’s do not happen in vain. The DEA has been a longtime co-sponsor of the National Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest, which is now in its tenth year. Keeping communities Drug-Free is a mission both organizations have shared for many years and we believe will share for many more to come. 

Take a short break from school or virtual school and create your own Tie Dye shirt for Red Ribbon Week. Use a marker and write your drug-free pledge on the front (i.e., “I am drug free”).

Supplies you will need:

Follow the instructions in this short video:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/8796161761585820/

Don’t forget to show off your awesome creation and tag us on Social Media!
Facebook & Twitter: @RedRibbonWeek and Instagram: @RedRibbonCampaign

 

“Everyone has a role in prevention,” says Marcie Seidel. A drug prevention leader in Ohio for many years, Marcie recently retired from her position as Executive Director of Prevention Action Alliance. Years before, she served as former chief of staff for Hope Taft, Ohio’s former first lady. In 1987, Mrs. Taft started Prevention Action Alliance with a group of parents in order to raise awareness about the dangers of misusing drugs and alcohol. This connection led Marcie to the organization where she assumed the mantle for more than 13 years. “It was an aligning of the stars,” she said. Indeed it was. Marcie’s career eventually led her to meet our very own Peggy Sapp, and they have been partners in prevention ever since. NFP is lucky to have many allies in the state of Ohio who are big supporters of the Red Ribbon Campaign. Marcie credits Ohio’s schools and their National Guard as natural partners. An added bonus for us is that this year our new Red Ribbon Campaign theme, Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. ™ , was created by an Ohioan, Tricia Nelson, a Cincinnati school teacher. “Collaborations are valuable,” Marcie says. “I believe the Red Ribbon campaign is successful in part due to alliances.” And although she has retired, she contends “Prevention is a way of living and I intend to stay connected.” We wish you an amazing retirement Marcie. 

Looking for Red Ribbon Themed Merchandise? Look no further! Check out these high-quality products from NIMCO. Visit NIMCO’s website to purchase merchandise such as Red Ribbon Themed wrist bands, Pop-up phone grippers, T-shirts, water bottles and more. Visit www.NimcoInc.com and help us spread the word!

 

His mission was to get drugs off the street and his death was not in vain. DEA agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena dedicated his career to putting an end to the influx of drugs in United States in the 1980s. Sadly, on what appeared to be a typical day in February of 1985, Agent Camarena was kidnapped, and his lifeless body was found a month later in Mexico.  His death inspired communities across the nation to call awareness to drug and alcohol abuse within their communities by wearing red ribbons, thus continuing Agent Camarena’s mission. The story that sparked the beginning of the National Red Ribbon Campaign™ is now available for download in Spanish. Click here and access it via our downloads page.