Red Ribbon Week engages Endeavor students in positive attitudes

During Red Ribbon Week, Who’s Hoo Club members at Endeavor Elementary School groomed aptly for the theme day, “If you ‘mustache’ – we are drug-free leaders!.” (PHOTO / CRISTEN SMITH)

MADISON – Symbolized by mustaches and unusual attire, Red Ribbon Week will demonstrate a drug-free life to Endeavor Elementary School students.

Red Ribbon Week “is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs,” fifth-grade teacher Bridget Tinker said. These activities “allow students to observe the cooperation of the community toward a common goal.”

Dress-up days are promoting the theme. For “Achieve Your Dreams – Drug Free,” students will wear pajamas to school. They will put on fake mustaches for “If You ‘Mustache’ – We’re Drug-Free Leaders” Day.

Sunglasses and hats will be needed for “Leaders Are Too Bright for Drugs.” Crazy hairstyles and socks will be appropriate for “We’re Drug-Free Leaders Head to Toe.”

For their parade, each grade will dress for the part. Students in pre-kindergarten and special needs classes will follow a “Walk the Rainbow” pledge. Kindergartners, sports teams and cheerleaders will declare “A drug-free life is a win-win.”

First-graders will parade as super heroes, claiming “My superpower is being drug-free.” Second-graders will be pop stars and proclaim “Pop out drugs & be a star.” Career dress for the third-graders will follow their theme, “Grow up to be drug-free.”

Fourth-graders will dress in patriotic garb, while sixth-graders will dress in ‘blackout’ to drugs. “Students are all super excited about the parade,” Tinker said.

Endeavor’s Who’s HOO (Helping Out Others) organization “also created a cheer that the entire school will perform” at the parade,” she said.

This year, Who’s HOO, numbering about 40 students in grades 3-5, planned everything for Red Ribbon Week. “Their primary focus is to help others in our school, local and global community through service projects,” Tinker said. “These students’ hard work deserves all of the recognition.”

Red Ribbon Week is important to children in their formative years. “Students must be taught from an early age to have anti-drug use attitude,” Tinker said. “This will encourage the norm in later years to be drug-free and prepare our students for a more positive future.”