RED RIBBON RALLY

University of Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt told area
fifth-graders on Thursday that the secret to success is to stay drug free.

" As you get older, there's going to be more temptation, " Nutt said.
" One day, someone's going to ask you to ' drink this' or ' smoke
this' or ' take this pill' because it will make you feel better.
Well, I'm here to tell you that's a lie. "

Nutt was one of three speakers during the 10 th annual Red Ribbon
Rally at Bud Walton Arena.

" If you're committed to your dreams and goals, then I'm going to
encourage you to keep making good decisions, " he said. " You need to
keep your body clean, to eat right and to sleep right so you can be
successful. "

Event coordinator Laurie Reh estimated the Red Ribbon Rally attracted
nearly 1, 000 students from 11 school districts in Washing-ton,
Benton, Madison and Carol counties.

" We keep in touch with teachers every year, " Reh said. " We work
with fifthgrade teachers and school staff to start getting the word
out during the spring and summer. "

While attendance for the drug free rally varies from year to year,
Reh said gas prices had an impact on this year's turnout.

" Each school district only has a limited number of field trips they
can take each year, " she said.

The Red Ribbon Rally is planned in conjunction with National Red
Ribbon Week at this time each year. The event is intended to
supplement and support schoolbased activities that are also focusing
on drug prevention.

The rally in Fayetteville is offered as a regional event to bring
young people together with their peers to encourage better choices, Reh said.

" The Red Ribbon Rally targets fifth graders because its a pivotal
point for them, " she said. " It's a good time for them to see their
peers supporting a drug free life and making smart choices. It's also
before they get into an age group when there's more pressure on them. "

Reh, who also serves as the coordinator for the Region 1 Prevention
Resource Center in Springdale, said the drugfree rally focuses on
getting students excited about making smart choices. During the
rally, fifth-graders from each school compete to see which class can
come up with the best drug-free cheer. The winning school gets to
take home the spirit stick. This year's rally was led by Al Lopez,
aka Papa Rap, along with local independent disc jockeys Chad Munroe
and Jeremy Austin.

" It's not necessarily the volume of the cheer that is judged, "
Lopez said. " It's the actual message you deliver. "

Though students from every school gave it their all, judges named
Walker Elementary as the overall spirit rally winner.

Assistant Razorback basketball coach Dan Hipsher talked to students
about the importance of learning to say no.

" The easiest word in the English dictionary for a parent to teach
their kid is the word ' yes, '" he said. " But the most important
words for you to learn are, ' no, ' or ' I can't, ' or ' I shouldn't,
' because once you've made poor choices, it's hard to go back. "

Hipsher told students that the person who makes the most demands of
them is the person who cares about them the most.

" Successful kids understand that there will always be someone there
for them, " he said.

Washington County Judge Jerry Hunton read a proclamation declaring
Oct. 22-26 as Red Ribbon Week.

" Stay away from alcohol, tobacco and drugs, " Hunton said. " For you
all to be successful, you need to try your best to stay clean. "

Reh said this year's speakers did a good job delivering a drug-free
message to students.

" They all volunteer their time to be here, " she said. " They're
drug-free adults, and they're letting the kids see that you can have
a great life if you stay drug free. "