Red Ribbon Week: Students Turn Down Drugs

Last week, elementary students from around Millburn School District all had different dress up days to remind them to turn their back on drugs as part of Red Ribbon Week.

Each year as part of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program held in the 5th grade, students pledge to be drug free. All of the banners signed by this year’s freshman class of 2017 are hanging in the Millburn High School hallway as a reminder of their 5th grade promise.

Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign that raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs facing our community and encourages parents, educators, and schools to promote drug free lifestyles.

 The week began after the kidnapping, torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena and his pilot Captain Alfredo Zavala-Avelar in 1985.  Camarena had been working undercover in Guadalajara, Mexico for over four years. His efforts led to a tip that resulted in the discovery of a multimillion dollar narcotics manufacturing operation in Chihuahua, Mexico. 

After the men were found murdered, citizens in Camarena's hometown of Calexico, California donned red ribbons in his honor. The red ribbon became their symbol for prevention in order to reduce the demand of illegal drugs. 

 In 1988, the first National Red Ribbon Week was organized by the National Family Partnership (NFP), proclaimed by the U.S. Congress and chaired by Nancy Reagan.