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.

Print out the Red Ribbon Theme sign, add your name, hold it up and post a photo that shows us you’re committed to living drug free.

Tag us on Facebook & Twitter: @RedRibbonWeek Instagram: @RedRibbonCampaign

How about your school, office building, local bridge or stadium? Find out if it can be turned red in honor of Red Ribbon Week.

 

Spread the Red Ribbon message online. Use our Facebook and Twitter posts!

Virtual Red Ribbon Campaign Tools 

Share your support for Red Ribbon Week with your friends and followers! Together, we can send a clear message across America. All you have to do to participate is tweet or post on Facebook with any or all of the suggested language below to spread the word about Red Ribbon Week: See the examples below, copy the language you want to use on your blog or social networking site and start spreading the message! We also encourage you to take a photo of your favorite drug-free activities and post on Instagram with #redribbonweek and #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree.

Sample Facebook Posts

• Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. – Celebrate Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31).
• It’s Red Ribbon Week and I am taking a stand against drugs. Join me. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge
• Today, I’m honoring Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent who died while fighting substance abuse. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week 2020. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge
• Today, I'm joining teens, parents, teachers, and other citizens across America in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation.
• Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week. Our children have the right to grow up drug free – and we have the responsibility to make that happen. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge
• I’m entering the Red Ribbon Photo Contest to win an iPad and $1,000 for my school. You can enter too at www.redribbon.org/contest
• I’m a teacher who believes in a drug free future for my students. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31)
• I’m a parent who believes in a drug free future for my children. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31).

Sample Tweets

• Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free. Celebrate #RedRibbonWeek (October 23-31). #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• It’s Red Ribbon Week and I am taking a stand against drugs. Join me. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge. #RedRibbonWeek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• Today, I’m honoring Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent who died while fighting substance abuse. Join me. Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge . #RedRibbonWeek
• Today, I'm joining teens, parents, teachers, and other citizens across America in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31), the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation. #RedRibbonWeek
• Join me in celebrating #RedRibbonWeek. Our children have the right to grow up drug free – and we have the responsibility to make that happen. #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• Take the pledge: www.redribbon.org/pledge. #RedRibbonWeek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• I’m entering the Red Ribbon Photo Contest to win an iPad and $1,000 for my school. You can enter too at www.redribbon.org/contest. #RedRibbonWeek
• I’m a teacher who believes in a drug free future for my students. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31). #redribbonweek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree
• I’m a parent who believes in a drug free future for my children. Join me in celebrating Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31). #redribbonweek #BeHappyBeBraveBeDrugFree