Students chalk-it-up for Red Ribbon Week

Students throughout the St. Joseph School District are chalking up drug and alcohol prevention messages as part of Red Ribbon week.

The St. Joseph Youth Alliance and the St. Joseph School District have activities planned all week as part of a national campaign to urge communities to take a stand against drugs. This year’s Red Ribbon Week is slated to run Oct. 23-31 and the theme is, “Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.”

“We’re trying to make students aware,” said Cindy Richardson, Central High School school counselor, “So that students can know the importance of being drug-free and alcohol-free for their future success.”

Students at Edison, Ellison and Eugene Field, Central High School, Pershing and Truman each took time Monday morning at their schools to create sidewalk chalk messages urging others to stay drug and alcohol free.

Central High School students chalk art for Red Ribbon Week. Photo courtesy Cindy Richardson

“Just a positive way to remind the students as they come to school and leave school that this is a National Campaign, not just a St. Joe school district campaign it’s a National Campaign to keep kids safe, to keep them focused,” Richardson said. “They have help here at school to help them stay on that right track.”

Central High School also took its anti-drug and alcohol message to social media, sending out numerous tweets throughout the day on studies and statistics surrounding the issue of prevention.