By Deborah Glick
Along with energy, war, danger, desire, and love, the color red also represents drug awareness.
From Oct. 22 to Oct. 26, South was painted red in honor of Red Ribbon Week. This week is a national event for the purpose of increasing drug awareness and reminding everyone to “Say No.” “Through our informational signs and statistics, we have hoped to reveal the truth about drug use: that it is not needed in order to live a fulfilling life,” said Co-President of Peer Drug Educators, Jackie M.
“I think that it’s important because although students learn about drugs in their health classes throughout the year, once the lesson is over, students may not feel that those lessons pertain to them anymore, or they may not even remember them,” said Co-President, Anoush Baghdassarian.
“As a teen and a peer drug educator, I feel that it is [our] duty to spread and diffuse a positive mindset throughout the school. The pathway of adolescence into adulthood isn’t the smoothest road. Drugs don’t make it any smoother,” continued Jackie.
Red Ribbon Week lets everyone see the effects of drugs inside or outside of their health classes. “I think it’s a good way to reinforce what students have learned and remind them that even if they’re not in health class, drugs are still harmful, and you can’t forget about the dangerous effects,” said Baghdassarian.