Week wrapped up in Red Ribbon

If Colusa County's elementary school students showed up for classes wearing socks but no shoes during any other week, it might seem a bit odd.

The same goes for wearing their clothes inside out, dressing only in red, white and blue or wearing cowboy boots.

But there was nothing odd about students taking a stand for a drug-free land during the nation's observance of Red Ribbon Week, which wrapped up on Friday.

"Our activities matched a particular slogan, like 'give the boot to drugs' or 'sock it to drugs,'" said Veronica Dorantes, Arbuckle Elementary School secretary. "Our kids dressed up each day of the week."

Red Ribbon Week, which started in California, is the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention program in the country, reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year, school officials said. By wearing red ribbons and participating in community anti-drug events, young people pledge to live a drug-free life.

At the same time, Red Ribbon Week pays tribute to Enriqué Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who was kidnapped, brutally tortured and murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico in 1985.

His tragic death opened the eyes of many Americans to the dangers of drugs and the international scope of the drug trade, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration Web site, and led to the creation of Red Ribbon Week,.

The event encourages students, parents, teachers and others to join together to address the issues related to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and violence in their community.

Sadly, this very week, DEA officials announced the death of three drug traffic enforcement agents who were supporting counternarcotics operations in Afghanistan.

Special Agents Forrest N. Leamon, 37, Chad L. Michael, 30, and Michael E. Weston, 37, were killed with seven other Americans on Monday when a U.S. military helicopter crashed in western Afghanistan.

It was the second deadliest incident in the DEA's 36-year history, according to the DEA's Web site. The deadliest occurred August 27, 1994, when a plane carrying five special agents crashed in the Peruvian Andes during a reconnaissance mission.

"DEA is an extremely tight family, and the death of these three brave agents is a devastating loss for us," Michele Leonhart, DEA administration, said in a statement. "No expressions of grief can adequately convey the depth of the collective sorrow that we feel for their loved ones."

In honor of Red Ribbon Week, Arbuckle students planted red tulips at the school, which will bloom in February.

"Our students are planting a promise to be drug free," asserted principal Carol Geyer.

This year, Williams schools refocused its drug prevention activities to include school safety, with particular emphasis on suppressing gangs and bullying, according to Judith Rossi, Williams Unified School District superintendent.

"This is something we can reinforce throughout the year, and not just during one week," Rossi said.

In Colusa, Red Ribbon Week included two drug education assemblies for Burchfield and Egling Middle school students, which included a skit performed by Colusa High School's Friday Night Live.

The focus of Red Ribbon Week for Colusa Unified School District this year was "can vs. do," according to Barbara Hankins, district nurse.

"We talked about what the kids can do as opposed to what they shouldn't do," Hankins said. "The purpose is to encourage students to live drug-free lifestyles."

Colusa County schools are trying to continue drug prevention efforts, despite funding for drug suppression programs being dropped from the state budget, school officials said.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.