Each year, Castleberry ISD and The River Oaks Lions Club join forces to educate students and the community about the dangers of using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Annually, Red Ribbon Week encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles during the week of October 23rd through 31st.
In honor of the event, students are provided many opportunities to participate in activities which encourage students to make healthy and smart decisions throughout life so dreams and goals can be achieved. The Lions Club poster contest is one way students throughout the school district exhibit creativity while depicting why it is important to be drug-free.
Castleberry ISD hosted the annual Red Ribbon Breakfast this morning to recognize the students who placed first, second, and third in this year’s Lions Club International District 2-E2 Drug Awareness Youth Poster Contest. This year’s theme for the poster contest asked students to depict the dangers and consequences of using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
This year’s breakfast included guest speaker Harrison White. White is the Assistant Home Director for Victory Ministries, a recovery residence center for men and women. White shared how choices he made or did not make in life quickly defined who he was as a teenager and young adult.
“Before I ever even took a drug, I decided I was going to be a ‘yes man,’” he admitted. “I was going to say yes to the people around me, yes to the majority, yes to what was popular, and yes to the ‘in’ crowd.” Making the choice to say yes is the catalyst that starts the domino effect of individuals falling victim to the effects of alcohol and drugs, all because no one is willing to stand up and say no to make a difference.
The guest speaker’s message was streamed on the Castleberry ISD YouTube channel to classrooms in the district for all 3rd through 12th grade students to listen to his story.
Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention awareness program in honor of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique Camarena who was murdered in 1985 by drug traffickers he was investigating. After his death, people in his hometown began wearing red ribbons to honor Camarena’s sacrifice.
In 1988, the National Family Partnership hosted the first Red Ribbon Week celebration, a celebration which has developed into anti-drug events uniting communities across the nation. The red ribbon has become a universal symbol recognizing the commitment to reducing the demand for illicit drugs in our nation’s communities.
Congratulations to the 2022 Castleberry ISD District 2-E2 Red Ribbon Week poster contest winners. The River Oaks Lions Club will submit the winning posters to the district level competition.