This year's theme, “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™,” carries an important message: Every one of us has the power to be a hero through the choices we make and the examples we set.

For decades, Red Ribbon Week has united families, schools, businesses, and communities in promoting healthy, drug-free lifestyles. What began as a tribute to DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena has grown into a nationwide movement that continues to inspire generations of young people.

This year, I am especially proud to recognize the community of Griswold, Connecticut, where our 2026 national Red Ribbon Week theme was born.

Ava Tackett, a student at Griswold Middle School, created this year's winning theme with guidance and encouragement from her health teacher, Kristen Butremovic. Her inspiring message reminds young people that they do not need extraordinary powers to make a difference. Every healthy decision is an opportunity to lead by example and positively influence others.

I also want to recognize the educators, school administrators, families, and community prevention partners throughout Griswold, including the Griswold PRIDE coalition, whose collaborative efforts demonstrate the true spirit of Red Ribbon Week. Their commitment to empowering young people and building a community-centered culture of prevention is an example for communities nationwide. 

We are also proud to recognize One Voice of Hunterdon in New Jersey, whose creative Red Ribbon Week billboard campaign brings this year's theme directly into its community. Their initiative demonstrates how prevention organizations can use creative outreach to keep important messages visible and inspire healthy choices.

These communities remind us that Red Ribbon Week is much more than an annual celebration. It is a movement driven by people who care deeply about the well-being of the next generation.

As we prepare for this year's celebration, I encourage everyone to think about what being a hero means in their own lives. Heroes are parents who have meaningful conversations with their children, educators who provide guidance and encouragement, young people who lead by example, and community organizations that dedicate themselves to prevention.

We also celebrate the families who participated in our recent Family Day activities, reminding us that building strong relationships at home is one of the most important ways we can support prevention.

As Red Ribbon Week approaches, I invite you to participate, share your activities, encourage others, and continue these conversations long after October ends.

Together, we can make a difference, inspire healthy choices, and show the next generation that everyone has the power to be a hero.

Wishing you a meaningful and inspiring Red Ribbon Week!

Peggy B. Sapp
President & CEO
National Family Partnership | Informed Families

This year’s Red Ribbon Week^® theme, “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™,” invites us to think about what being a hero really means.

Heroes aren’t only people who do extraordinary things. They’re the people making positive choices in everyday moments — at home, at school and in their communities.

Across our prevention campaigns, we see four simple ways each of us can make a difference:

Connect. Choose. Protect. Lead.

Heroes Connect

With Family Day on September 28, this is the perfect place to begin.

Young people connect by spending meaningful time with their families. Parents and caregivers connect by creating opportunities to talk, listen and stay involved in their children’s lives.

A family meal doesn’t have to be elaborate or perfect. What matters is making time to be present.

This Family Day, I encourage families to eat together, talk together and truly listen to one another.

Explore Family Day resources

Heroes Choose

Red Ribbon Week^® reminds us that heroes choose healthy futures.

Young people make choices every day that can help them reach their goals and stay drug free. Adults can support those choices by being positive role models, setting clear expectations and demonstrating healthy behaviors themselves.

Sometimes the most powerful prevention message we can give a child is the example we set.

Learn more about Red Ribbon Week

Heroes Protect

Through Lock Your Meds®, we’re reminded that heroes take steps to protect themselves and others.

Young people need to understand the dangers of medication misuse and know when to ask for help. Parents and caregivers can help protect their homes by safely storing, monitoring and disposing of medications.

Small actions at home can make an important difference.

Explore Lock Your Meds® resources

Heroes Lead

Safe Homes Smart Parties® reminds us that heroes also lead.

For young people, that can mean looking out for friends, speaking up and making safe choices. For adults, leadership means setting expectations, monitoring activities and helping create safe environments for youth.

Leadership doesn’t always mean being the loudest person in the room. Sometimes it simply means having the courage to make the responsible choice — and helping someone else do the same.

Explore Safe Homes Smart Parties®

Could Your Idea Inspire Next Year’s Heroes?

As we prepare for Red Ribbon Week this October, I also encourage students, families and educators to start thinking ahead.

This year’s theme, “Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™,” started with one student and one idea. Now, that message will be shared by schools and communities across the country.

What could next year’s message be?

The 2027 National Red Ribbon Theme Contest is open, and now is a great time for students to start brainstorming.

Your words could inspire another student.
Your idea could inspire a school.
And your message could inspire communities across the nation.

Learn about the 2027 Red Ribbon Theme Contest

Connect. Choose. Protect. Lead.

Whether we are connecting as families, choosing healthy futures, protecting our homes or leading by example, each of us has a role to play.

Being a hero doesn’t require superpowers. Sometimes it begins with one conversation, one healthy choice, one safer decision or one person willing to lead.

Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™

Red Ribbon Week^® takes place October 23 – 31, but the most successful school and community campaigns begin well before October.

Ordering materials, assigning responsibilities and promoting activities early gives your team more time to create a meaningful experience—not just a last-minute spirit week.

Use this checklist to begin preparing for the 2026 Red Ribbon Week theme:

“Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™”

1. Order Official Red Ribbon Week Materials

Confirm your budget, estimate the number of students and participants, and place orders early to allow enough time for delivery.

Consider ordering:

• Official 2026 theme banners and posters
• Red ribbons, wristbands, stickers or buttons
• Pledge cards or a schoolwide commitment banner
• Bookmarks and educational materials
• Student contest prizes and giveaways
• Shirts or themed items for staff and volunteers
• Decorations for classrooms, hallways and community spaces
• Materials to share with families and community partners

NIMCO, Inc. is the official supplier of Red Ribbon Week campaign materials and offers merchandise featuring the 2026 theme.

Order official 2026 Red Ribbon Week materials from NIMCO.

2. Build Your Planning Team

Select one campaign coordinator, but avoid making Red Ribbon Week a one-person project.

Invite representatives from:

• School administration
• Teachers and counselors
• Student government or leadership clubs
• Parent organizations
• Law enforcement and first responders
• Local prevention organizations
• Healthcare professionals
• Businesses and community groups

Assign specific responsibilities for ordering, activities, volunteers, family communication, decorations, photography and social media.

3. Choose Activities With a Purpose

Spirit days can build excitement, but each activity should connect back to healthy choices, leadership and drug-use prevention.

Schools and community organizations can plan:

• A schoolwide rally or assembly
• A Red Ribbon pledge banner
• Classroom or door-decorating contests
• Poster, essay, video or announcement contests
• Student-created prevention messages
• A family education night or community health fair
• Peer-to-peer presentations
• Daily prevention facts during morning announcements
• A community walk or Red Ribbon caravan
• A building or local landmark illumination

The Red Ribbon Campaign also suggests involving police departments, health departments and prevention coalitions in educational presentations and community activities.

4. Bring the 2026 Theme to Life

This year’s theme reminds students that choosing to live drug-free is an act of leadership and that their everyday decisions can positively influence others.

Connect activities to the superhero theme by asking students to:

• Recognize an everyday hero in their school
• Create posters showing how healthy choices make a difference
• Write encouraging messages for classmates
• Nominate students who demonstrate kindness and leadership
• Dress as their favorite real-life hero
• Share how they can be positive role models
• Complete a “My Drug-Free Superpower” activity

Focus on helping students understand that they do not need special powers to make a difference.

5. Invite Community Participation

Ask local partners to:

• Display Red Ribbon Week posters
• Sponsor materials, prizes or activities
• Provide speakers or volunteers
• Wear red on a designated community day
• Share prevention resources with families
• Participate in a rally, walk or health fair
• Decorate storefronts or community spaces
• Light a building or landmark red
• Recognize young people demonstrating positive leadership

Schools can also request an official Red Ribbon Week proclamation from their city, county or local government.

6. Prepare Your Promotional Plan

Begin communicating before Red Ribbon Week arrives so families and community partners have enough time to participate.

Prepare:

• A full activity calendar
• Parent emails and newsletter announcements
• School website and app updates
• Social media graphics and captions
• Morning announcements
• Flyers for businesses and community centers
• A press release for local media
• Reminders for each activity
• Photo and video permission forms when needed

When promoting spirit days, explain the purpose behind each theme—not only what students should wear.

7. Capture and Celebrate the Impact

Choose someone to photograph activities, gather student quotes and document participation.

After Red Ribbon Week:

• Share photos and campaign highlights
• Thank volunteers, families and community partners
• Recognize student leaders
• Report participation totals
• Collect feedback from teachers and students
• Save successful ideas for next year
• Continue sharing prevention messages throughout the school year

Start Planning Now

Red Ribbon Week is an opportunity to bring schools, families and communities together around one important message: young people have the power to make healthy, drug-free choices.

Start by forming your team, choosing your activities and ordering official campaign materials.

Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™

The beginning of a new school year is filled with fresh routines, new goals and renewed excitement. Teachers are welcoming students into their classrooms, families are adjusting to new schedules and community organizations are preparing programs for the months ahead.

It is also the perfect time to begin planning for Red Ribbon Week®.

Observed each year from October 23–31, Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign. It brings schools, families and communities together around one shared purpose: helping young people make healthy, safe and drug-free choices.

Although October may feel far away during the busy back-to-school season, starting early makes it easier to create a celebration that is meaningful, organized and engaging for everyone involved.

Early Planning Creates a Stronger Red Ribbon Week

The most impactful Red Ribbon Week activities involve more than wearing red for a day. They give students opportunities to learn, participate, lead and understand why choosing a drug-free lifestyle matters.

Beginning the planning process at the start of the school year allows schools and organizations to:

• Form a Red Ribbon planning committee.
• Include activities on school and community calendars.
• Invite students to share ideas and take leadership roles.
• Coordinate with parents, businesses and community partners.
• Secure speakers, materials and volunteers.
• Promote activities before October arrives.

Instead of rushing to plan several activities at the last minute, organizers can create a coordinated campaign that reinforces prevention messages throughout the week—and beyond.

Bring the 2026 Theme to Life

The official 2026 Red Ribbon Week theme is:
“Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™”

Created by Ava Tackett, a student at Griswold Middle School in Connecticut, the theme reminds young people that everyday choices can be acts of courage and leadership. Students do not need special powers to be heroes. They can make a difference by making healthy decisions, supporting their friends and becoming positive examples in their schools and communities.

Back-to-school planning gives educators and community leaders time to build activities around that message.

Students might recognize everyday heroes in their school, create posters showing how healthy choices make a difference or write messages encouraging their classmates to stay drug-free. Schools can also highlight students, teachers, parents, first responders and community members who lead through kindness, responsibility and positive choices.

Give Students a Voice

Students are more likely to connect with Red Ribbon Week when they have an active role in planning it.

Invite student councils, clubs, athletic teams and classroom representatives to help choose activities. Ask students what being a hero means to them and how they can positively influence their friends.

Student-led activities could include:

• A Red Ribbon rally or school assembly.
• Poster, essay or door-decorating contests.
• Drug-free pledges or commitment banners.
• Morning announcements written and presented by students.
• Peer-to-peer prevention messages.
• Theme days connected to healthy choices.
• Videos or social media content featuring student voices.

The goal is not simply to fill a calendar. It is to help students recognize that their choices matter and that they have the power to influence others.

Make Families Part of the Conversation

Parents and caregivers are essential partners in prevention. Red Ribbon Week can help families begin or continue age-appropriate conversations about drugs, alcohol, peer pressure and healthy decision-making.

As activities are planned, schools can provide families with discussion questions, prevention resources and simple ways to participate at home. Families may sign the Red Ribbon Pledge together, attend a school rally, decorate their homes with red ribbons or talk about what it means to be a positive role model.

The National Family Partnership also encourages parents to work with school organizations, talk regularly with their children about drugs and alcohol, secure medications at home and become familiar with the parents of their children’s friends.

These conversations should not begin and end in October. Red Ribbon Week can serve as a starting point for year-round communication, connection and support.

Invite the Community to Participate

Drug prevention is most effective when the entire community works together.

Local businesses, law enforcement agencies, healthcare professionals, faith-based organizations, government representatives and prevention groups can all contribute to Red Ribbon Week.

Community partners may be invited to:

• Sponsor activities or provide supplies.
• Display red ribbons and campaign materials.
• Participate in a community rally or health fair.
• Share prevention information with families.
• Arrange for a local landmark or building to be illuminated in red.
• Request an official Red Ribbon Week proclamation.
• Recognize youth who demonstrate leadership and positive decision-making.

Starting these conversations during the back-to-school season provides organizations with enough time to coordinate schedules and create partnerships that extend beyond one event.

Create a Simple Planning Timeline

Red Ribbon planning does not have to feel overwhelming. Begin with a few manageable steps.

At the beginning of the school year:
Create a planning team, review available resources and select the main goals for your campaign.

During September:
Finalize activities, invite community partners, order materials and begin communicating with families.

In early October:
Promote the schedule, prepare students and volunteers, confirm speakers and distribute campaign resources.

October 23–31:
Celebrate Red Ribbon Week, share prevention messages and recognize the everyday heroes making healthy choices.

After the campaign, gather feedback and save successful ideas for the following year.

Start Today and Make a Difference

Red Ribbon Week is more than an annual celebration. It is an opportunity to strengthen families, empower young people and unite communities around healthy, drug-free living.

By starting during the back-to-school season, schools, families and community organizations can create activities that are thoughtful, inclusive and memorable. Every conversation, partnership and positive example can help a young person make a healthier choice.

This year, let us show students that they already have what it takes to lead, encourage others and create positive change.

Make a Difference. Be a Hero. Stay Drug Free.™

Begin planning your 2026 Red Ribbon Week activities today by exploring the official activity ideas, resources and Red Ribbon Week Planning Guide available through the Red Ribbon Campaign.

Back-to-school season brings so much excitement—new classes, new friends, new routines, and new opportunities. It can also bring a little uncertainty as families adjust to busy schedules and new responsibilities.

As children head back to school, it’s a great time for families to focus on the healthy habits and connections that help young people make positive choices.

This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme, “Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™”  reminds us that being a hero doesn’t always require a big gesture. Sometimes, being a hero starts right at home.

Parents and caregivers can be heroes by making time to connect with their children, listening to what’s happening in their lives, encouraging healthy choices, and creating opportunities for everyone in the family to contribute. Even simple things, like giving children age-appropriate chores, can help build a sense of responsibility, belonging, and purpose.

Make Family Time a Priority

Family Day on September 28 is another opportunity to encourage families to spend meaningful time together.

Sitting down for a family meal gives parents and children a chance to talk, listen, laugh, and stay connected. These everyday conversations can help parents understand what their children are experiencing and create an environment where kids feel comfortable asking questions or sharing concerns.

Not sure what to talk about? Use conversation starters, ask about the best and hardest parts of the day, or simply give everyone a chance to share something on their mind.

Get Ready for Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week takes place October 23-31, bringing schools, families, and communities together to encourage healthy, drug-free choices.

The 2026 theme, “Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™” was created by Ava Tackett of Griswold Middle School with the support of her Health Teacher, Kristen Butremavic. Their creativity is a wonderful example of how students, educators, families, and communities can work together to promote healthy choices.

Schools can also start thinking ahead! The 2027 Red Ribbon Week Theme Contest will take place during this year’s Red Ribbon Week, with entries accepted through November 6, 2026. Visit https://www.redribbon.org/theme/contest/ for more info.

We encourage schools and students across the country to participate, get creative, and help inspire next year’s national Red Ribbon Week campaign.

As we head into fall, start with two simple priorities: connect as a family and prepare for Red Ribbon Week.

Together, families, schools, and communities can help young people build healthy habits and become heroes in their own lives and the lives of others.

Every hero has the power to make a difference—and that power often begins with a single choice.

The official 2026 Red Ribbon Week® theme, “Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™,” encourages young people to recognize that choosing a healthy, drug-free lifestyle is an act of courage, leadership, and positive influence. Created by Ava Tackett, a student at Griswold Middle School in Connecticut, the theme reminds students that heroes are not limited to fictional characters, celebrities, or athletes. They can be classmates, friends, family members, teachers, and community leaders who make responsible choices and encourage others to do the same.

Observed annually from October 23 through October 31, Red Ribbon Week is an opportunity for schools, families, and communities to unite around prevention. However, bringing the 2026 theme to life requires more than displaying posters or planning a few spirit days. The strongest campaigns help students understand how their everyday decisions can protect their health, support their peers, and positively shape the communities around them.

What Does It Mean to Be a Hero?

When young people hear the word “hero,” they may picture someone wearing a cape, saving the day, or accomplishing something extraordinary.

The 2026 Red Ribbon Week theme gives adults an opportunity to expand that definition.

A hero can be someone who:

• Makes a healthy choice, even when others do not.
• Refuses to participate in unsafe or harmful behavior.
• Supports a friend who is struggling.
• Speaks up when something does not feel right.
• Includes someone who feels left out.
• Asks a trusted adult for help.
• Encourages others to make positive decisions.
• Shows kindness, confidence, and responsibility.

These actions may not always receive attention, but they can make a meaningful difference. By helping students recognize everyday acts of leadership, the theme becomes more personal and attainable.

Students do not have to wait until they are older to become positive influences. They can begin with the choices they make today.

Start the Conversation Before Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week should not begin when the decorations go up on October 23. Schools and community organizations can begin introducing the theme weeks in advance.

Teachers may ask students questions such as:

• What qualities make someone a hero?
• Who is a hero in your life, and why?
• How can one positive choice influence other people?
• What does courage look like at school?
• How can students help friends make healthy decisions?
• Who can you talk to when you need help?

These conversations can take place during morning announcements, advisory periods, health classes, assemblies, counseling lessons, or classroom discussions.

Starting early gives students time to reflect on the message instead of simply seeing it as another school slogan. It also creates opportunities for them to help shape the campaign.

Give Students Opportunities to Lead

One of the most effective ways to engage students is to give them an active role in Red Ribbon Week.

Instead of adults planning every detail, schools can invite students to develop activities, create messages, lead announcements, or recognize positive role models.

Student-led ideas may include:

Create an Everyday Heroes Campaign

Ask students to nominate classmates, teachers, staff members, family members, or community leaders who demonstrate courage, kindness, healthy decision-making, or positive leadership.

Selected heroes can be recognized through:

• Morning announcements
• Bulletin board displays
• School newsletters
• Social media posts
• Classroom certificates
• Video interviews
• A schoolwide “Hero Wall”

Recognition should focus on actions rather than popularity. A student who helped a friend, welcomed a new classmate, asked for support, or stood up against peer pressure may be demonstrating exactly the kind of leadership the campaign celebrates.

Invite Students to Share Their Voices

Students can create short messages explaining what being a hero means to them.

These messages may be shared through:

• Posters
• Essays
• Poetry
• Artwork
• Videos
• Classroom presentations
• Social media graphics
• School announcements

A simple prompt such as “I can make a difference by…” allows students of all ages to connect the national theme to their own lives.

Form a Student Planning Committee

A Red Ribbon Week student committee can help select spirit days, create decorations, develop announcements, plan service activities, and encourage participation.

When students help lead the campaign, they are more likely to feel personally invested in its message.

Make Spirit Days More Meaningful

Spirit days can create excitement and visibility, but each activity should connect clearly to prevention and healthy decision-making.

Rather than choosing themes only because they are fun, schools can explain how each day supports the campaign’s larger message.

Ideas include:

Heroes Make Healthy Choices

Invite students to dress as a personal hero, community helper, historical figure, or positive role model.

During the day, ask students to share one quality they admire about the person they selected.

Team Up Against Drugs

Students can wear clothing representing their favorite sports team, school organization, club, or activity.

Use the day to discuss how strong teams support one another and help members make responsible decisions.

Your Future Is Bright

Encourage students to wear bright colors or sunglasses while discussing goals, dreams, and the healthy choices that can help them build the future they want.

Be Comfortable Being Yourself

Students can wear pajamas or comfortable clothing while learning about confidence, authenticity, and resisting pressure to fit in.

Wear Red and Stand Together

Conclude the week with a schoolwide red-out day that visually demonstrates unity around the commitment to healthy, drug-free living.

Every spirit day should include a brief discussion, announcement, classroom activity, or reflection question. The clothing may capture students’ attention, but the message is what gives the activity meaning.

Connect Activities to Students’ Ages

Red Ribbon Week messages should be developmentally appropriate. Younger students and teenagers will not connect with prevention education in the same way.

Elementary School

For younger students, focus on:

• Making safe and healthy choices
• Understanding feelings
• Identifying trusted adults
• Practicing kindness
• Caring for the body
• Handling pressure from friends
• Asking for help

Activities may include coloring pages, read-alouds, classroom pledges, role-playing exercises, and drawings of everyday heroes.

Middle School

Middle school students may benefit from conversations about:

• Peer pressure
• Belonging
• Social media influences
• Decision-making
• Healthy coping skills
• Friendship
• Confidence
• The consequences of choices

Students can analyze realistic scenarios, create peer-to-peer messages, participate in group discussions, or develop campaigns for younger students.

High School

High school activities can address:

• Personal responsibility
• Stress management
• Substance-use risks
• Leadership
• Future goals
• Supporting friends
• Asking for help
• Positive social norms

Older students may lead panel discussions, create videos, mentor younger students, organize service projects, or develop schoolwide prevention messages.

The goal is not to frighten students. It is to provide accurate, age-appropriate information while helping them build the confidence and skills needed to make healthy decisions.

Help Families Continue the Message at Home

Families play an essential role in reinforcing prevention messages. Red Ribbon Week provides a natural opportunity for parents and caregivers to begin or continue conversations about health, responsibility, peer pressure, and substance use.

Schools can support families by sending home simple conversation starters, such as:

• What does being a hero mean to you?
• Who helps you make good decisions?
• What would you do if a friend encouraged you to do something unsafe?
• Who are the trusted adults you can talk to?
• What are some healthy ways to handle stress?
• How can our family support one another?

Schools may also invite families to complete a drug-free pledge, decorate their front doors, participate in a family activity night, share photos of their everyday heroes, or write encouraging notes to their children.

The purpose is not to create one perfect conversation. It is to help families develop an ongoing pattern of open, honest, and judgment-free communication.

Recognize the Heroes in Your Community

The 2026 theme also creates an opportunity to connect schools with the people who serve their communities every day.

Schools and organizations can invite local leaders to share how healthy choices, preparation, teamwork, and responsibility influence their work.

Potential guests may include:

• Healthcare professionals
• First responders
• Counselors
• Prevention specialists
• Coaches
• Veterans
• Business owners
• Volunteers
• Community advocates
• Former students

Speakers should be encouraged to focus on practical lessons, personal responsibility, resilience, and the importance of asking for help.

Communities can also recognize individuals or organizations that support young people and promote healthy environments. This reinforces the idea that prevention is not the responsibility of one school, one family, or one organization. It is a shared commitment.

Turn the Theme Into Service

Heroes do more than make good choices for themselves. They also look for ways to help others.

Schools can connect the Red Ribbon Week theme to a community service project, such as:

• Collecting food for a local pantry
• Creating thank-you cards for first responders
• Organizing a school supply drive
• Supporting a local youth organization
• Cleaning up a park or school campus
• Writing encouraging notes to other students
• Collecting items for families in need

Service projects allow students to experience what it means to make a difference. They show that positive influence is created through action—not simply through words.

Use Campaign Materials With Purpose

Posters, wristbands, banners, ribbons, pencils, stickers, and other Red Ribbon materials can help make the campaign visible throughout a school or community.

However, materials are most effective when they reinforce a clear message.

For example:

• Place discussion questions beside hallway posters.
• Include prevention resources near campaign displays.
• Add student-written messages to bulletin boards.
• Use wristbands as reminders of a specific pledge.
• Provide families with information alongside take-home items.
• Display the theme in areas where students gather regularly.

Campaign materials should support meaningful conversations and activities rather than serving as the entire campaign.

Use Social Media to Spotlight Everyday Heroes

Social media can extend Red Ribbon Week beyond the school building and help families and community members participate.

Schools and organizations can share:

• Student artwork
• Daily prevention messages
• Photos from approved activities
• Community hero spotlights
• Family conversation starters
• Healthy coping strategies
• Staff participation
• Student-created videos
• Red Ribbon Week reminders
• Prevention resources

A daily series could highlight one “hero choice,” such as asking for help, including others, handling stress in a healthy way, or standing up against peer pressure.

Organizations should always follow their established media permissions and privacy policies when sharing student photos, names, or work.

Remind Students That Asking for Help Is Heroic

One of the most important messages adults can communicate is that heroes do not have to handle every problem alone.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It can be an act of courage.

Students should know which trusted adults and resources are available if they are worried about themselves or someone else. Schools can use Red Ribbon Week to clearly identify counselors, social workers, teachers, administrators, family members, and other support systems.

This message is especially important for students who may already be affected by substance use in their families, friendships, or communities.

Prevention messages should never shame or isolate them. Instead, Red Ribbon Week should create an environment where every student feels supported, valued, and able to seek help.

Keep the Commitment Going

Red Ribbon Week is observed for nine days, but prevention cannot end when October is over.

Schools and organizations can carry the theme forward by:

• Continuing student leadership programs
• Recognizing everyday heroes throughout the year
• Providing ongoing family resources
• Incorporating prevention into health education
• Supporting positive after-school activities
• Teaching healthy coping and decision-making skills
• Connecting students with trusted adults
• Revisiting student pledges and goals
• Celebrating kindness, courage, and responsible choices

A successful Red Ribbon Week campaign should serve as the beginning of continued conversations—not the end of them.

Every Choice Can Make a Difference

The 2026 Red Ribbon Week theme offers young people a powerful and encouraging message: You do not need superpowers to be a hero.

You can make a difference by choosing what is healthy. You can be a hero by supporting someone who needs help. You can lead by treating others with kindness, standing confidently in your values, and encouraging your friends to make positive decisions.

This Red Ribbon Week, let us help every student recognize the influence they already have.

Together, schools, families, and communities can turn “Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™” from a campaign theme into a message young people can carry with them throughout the year—and throughout their lives.

Visit RedRibbon.org to learn more about the 2026 theme, access campaign information, and discover additional ways to participate in Red Ribbon Week.

A meaningful Red Ribbon Week does not come together overnight. Learn how schools can start planning early, involve their communities and prepare an engaging prevention campaign for October.

Red Ribbon Week may take place from October 23–31, but successful school campaigns begin months earlier.

Starting early gives schools time to organize meaningful activities, involve families and community partners, order materials and keep prevention education at the center of the celebration.

The official 2026 Red Ribbon Week theme is:

“Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™”

Created by middle school student Ava Tackett, this year’s theme encourages students to recognize that making healthy, drug-free choices is an act of leadership, courage and positive influence. It also gives schools a powerful starting point for activities that celebrate everyday heroes and show students how their decisions can positively affect their friends, families and communities.

October may still feel far away, but starting now can help your school create a Red Ribbon Week that is organized, engaging and connected to a larger culture of prevention.

This year’s theme encourages students to recognize that healthy, drug-free choices are acts of courage, leadership and positive influence.

Here are several ways schools can begin preparing now.

Build a Planning Team

Start by identifying the staff members, students and community partners who will help coordinate the campaign.

Your planning team may include administrators, teachers, counselors, parent organizations, student leaders and school resource officers.

Assign clear responsibilities for activities, communications, decorations, merchandise, volunteers and classroom resources. Sharing responsibilities early helps create a more organized and effective campaign.

Choose a Clear Message

Before selecting spirit days or ordering supplies, decide what students should learn and remember.

The 2026 theme can help schools explore what it means to be an everyday hero. Students can make a difference by supporting a friend, asking a trusted adult for help, resisting peer pressure or making choices that protect their goals.

Use questions such as:

• What does courage look like in everyday life?
• How can healthy choices influence others?
• Who are the trusted adults students can turn to?
• How can students help create a safer school community?

When every activity connects to one shared message, the campaign feels more meaningful.

Select Age-Appropriate Activities

Red Ribbon Week activities should reflect the ages and needs of your students.

Schools may include:

• Wear Red Day and themed spirit days.
• Classroom discussions or writing prompts.
• Poster, essay or video contests.
• Student-created morning announcements.
• Drug-free pledge activities.
• Family conversation starters.
• Community speaker presentations.
• Everyday hero recognition displays.

Student involvement is especially valuable. Invite students to help create posters, videos, announcements and activities that will connect with their classmates.

Order Merchandise Early

Schools often use ribbons, wristbands, pencils, stickers, shirts, banners and other materials to reinforce the campaign message.

Before ordering, confirm:

• Student and staff quantities.
• Available budget.
• Distribution plans.
• Contest or incentive needs.
• Display locations.
• Sponsorship opportunities.

Ordering official Red Ribbon Week merchandise early allows more time to confirm quantities, avoid last-minute delays and incorporate materials into planned activities.

Involve Families and Community Partners

Red Ribbon Week becomes stronger when its message continues beyond the classroom.

Send families the activity schedule, prevention resources and conversation starters before October. Invite them to participate in Wear Red Day, home activities or school events.

Schools can also reach out to local prevention organizations, healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies, youth groups and community leaders. These partners may provide speakers, volunteers, educational resources or campaign sponsorships.

Create a Communication Plan

Families and staff members are more likely to participate when they receive information early.

Your communication plan might include:

• A save-the-date announcement.
• An introduction to the 2026 theme.
• A schedule of activities.
• Spirit day reminders.
• Volunteer or sponsorship requests.
• Social media posts.
• Family prevention resources.
• A post-event recap.

Explain the purpose behind the activities so families understand that Red Ribbon Week is about more than wearing red. It is an opportunity to support healthy, responsible and drug-free choices.

A Simple Planning Timeline

July and August

Form the planning team, establish goals, create a budget and review available resources.

August and September

Choose activities, place merchandise orders and invite community partners.

September and Early October

Promote the campaign, prepare staff and share the schedule with families.

October

Finalize materials, distribute supplies and celebrate Red Ribbon Week from October 23–31.

Start Preparing Today

A meaningful Red Ribbon Week does not need to be complicated, but it does require time, organization and a clear purpose.

By preparing before October, schools can create a campaign that engages students, supports families and strengthens a year-round culture of prevention.

Make A Difference. Be A Hero. Stay Drug Free.™

As summer begins to wind down, families are starting to prepare for a new school year. Back-to-school season is about more than shopping for supplies and adjusting routines—it is also an opportunity to reconnect, set expectations and create healthy habits that support children throughout the year.

Simple moments, such as sharing meals, checking in after school and having open conversations, can make a lasting difference. These connections help children feel supported and give parents and caregivers natural opportunities to talk about making safe, healthy choices.

July is also a wonderful time to begin planning for Family Day in September. Family Day reminds us that regular family meals and meaningful conversations can strengthen relationships and help protect young people from risky behaviors. Whether it is dinner at the table, breakfast before school or a few minutes together at the end of the day, what matters most is making time to connect.

As we prepare for the school year ahead, let us be intentional about creating routines that bring families closer together and help children feel heard, supported and encouraged.

Peggy B. Sapp
President
National Family Partnership

Summer is often a season filled with plans. Camps, vacations, pool days, boating trips, family gatherings, cookouts, sleepovers, and long weekends can quickly fill the calendar. For many parents, this season can feel exciting, but it can also feel stressful. There is pressure to create memories, keep children entertained, manage schedules, and make everything feel special. But sometimes, in the middle of all the planning, we forget something important:

Our children are watching.

They are not only listening to what we say. They are watching how we live. They are watching how we handle stress, how we talk to one another, how we spend our time, how we celebrate, how we relax, and how we cope.

Our words matter, but our environment matters too.

At National Family Partnership, we often talk about prevention through conversations. Those conversations are important. Children need clear messages about alcohol, drugs, vaping, peer pressure, and making healthy choices. But our message does not begin and end with our words.

It is wrapped up in the overall environment we create.

If we tell our children not to drink, but they see alcohol used as the center of every celebration, they notice. If we tell them to make healthy choices, but they see us using substances to manage stress, they notice. If happy hour is the weekly routine, and we come home affected by alcohol, they notice.

Children are always learning from us.

That does not mean parents have to be perfect. None of us are. It does mean we must be aware. We must understand that the examples we set can either strengthen or weaken the messages we are trying to give.

This is especially important during the summer months, when alcohol is often present at adult gatherings, parties, holidays, and boating events.

Boating and drinking is one example that deserves our attention. Many families spend time on the water during the summer, and children are often right there with us. They are watching who is drinking, who is driving the boat, who is making safety decisions, and whether adults are treating alcohol casually in situations that require responsibility.

The message we send in those moments matters.

We cannot tell young people to make safe choices while modeling risky ones ourselves. Prevention must be consistent. It must show up in what we say, what we allow, and what we demonstrate.

Our children need to see adults enjoying life without making alcohol the focus. They need to see us handle stress in healthy ways. They need to see us celebrate without overdoing it. They need to see us set limits, make safe decisions, and take responsibility for the environment around them.

This is not about judgment. It is about awareness.

Every parent and caregiver has the opportunity to pause and ask:
What message is my child receiving from my actions?
What does our home environment communicate?
What do our weekends teach?
What do our celebrations model?
What are my children learning from the way I handle stress?

These questions are not always easy, but they are important.

At National Family Partnership, our book Our Children Are Watching reminds us of this very truth. Children are shaped not only by what we tell them, but by what they see every day. They are paying attention to our choices, our habits, our tone, our priorities, and our example.

The good news is that small changes can make a big difference.
We can create homes where connection matters more than busyness.
We can create gatherings where fun does not have to revolve around alcohol.
We can create summer memories that are safe, meaningful, and healthy.
We can show our children that joy, rest, and celebration do not require risky choices.

Prevention begins with awareness. It begins when we recognize that our influence is powerful, even in ordinary moments.

This summer, I encourage every parent, grandparent, caregiver, and community member to slow down and consider the environment we are creating for our children. We do not have to plan the perfect summer. We do not have to fill every day with activities. We do not have to add more stress to our lives in an effort to create memories.

Sometimes, the most meaningful thing we can do is be present, be consistent, and be mindful of the example we are setting.

Our children are watching. Let’s give them something healthy, steady, and strong to follow.

With gratitude,

Peggy B. Sapp
President
National Family Partnership

Transition times can bring both happy and sad moments, and they can be stressful for everyone — especially children and teens. Prom, graduation, the end of the school year, and the start of summer are exciting milestones, but they also create the kinds of moments when young people can be more likely to get into trouble.

Why? Because routines change. Supervision may loosen. Social pressure increases. Celebrations become more frequent. Life gets a little busier, a little less structured, and kids may suddenly have more time on their hands.

That is why these seasons matter so much for parents.

During times like this, one of the best things we can do for our families is create a sense of homeostasis at home.

Homeostasis is really just a word for balance. In the body, it means keeping things steady and regulated. At home, it means creating an environment that feels calm, grounded, and safe, even when life feels busy or emotional.

But that starts with us.

If we want calm in our homes, we have to find calm in ourselves first.

Getting calm does not mean you need to read another parenting book, search for the perfect answer, or call five people for advice, It means slowing down before you react. Taking a deeper breath. Letting your brain rest for a moment before making decisions, giving instructions, or responding to everything happening around you.

And even when summer feels less structured, parents still have opportunities to check in. A simple conversation in the car, a reminder before they leave the house, or a calm moment at the kitchen table can make a difference. These moments help remind our children that their choices matter, that we are paying attention, and that we are here to guide them.

Prom, graduation, and summer break are times when parents need a clear vision of reality. Our kids may be celebrating, pushing boundaries, or making choices without fully thinking them through. And the truth is, we all make poor decisions sometimes. But as parents, our job is to help make sure our children’s poor decisions are not the kind that can seriously hurt them.

For those who have taken our Parent Peer Group classes, this is the time to use what you have learned. Stay calm. Stay connected. Stay clear.

Your steady presence matters, especially during seasons of change.

Learn more about Parent Peer Groups here:
https://www.informedfamilies.org/parent-peer-groups