VERNON PARISH STUDENTS CELEBRATE NATIONAL RED RIBBON WEEK

This week, students and everyone associated with Vernon Parish
Schools saw red and it was one of the rare occasions in life when
seeing red is actually a good thing.

Students, faculty and staff at all of the Vernon Parish public
schools have spent the week participating in various events linked to
National Red Ribbon week.

At Leesville Junior High, the students participated in two community
service projects.

"We just completed a can drive for Helping Hands," Lois Spurgeon,
LJHS' Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Resource Officer,
said. "We're also doing a community-service project called 'Wash Out
Drugs.' We'll collect soap products to be donated to a worthy charity."

Although Red Ribbon Week was meant to focus on the dangers of drugs
and the importance of remaining drug-free, it was also a chance to
have a little fun.

At LJHS, the students had "Team Up Against Drugs" day in which they
were allowed to wear jerseys, "Shade Out Drugs Day" in which students
were allowed to wear their sunglasses in class and, as of Thursday
morning, "Black Out Drugs Day" in which all students were asked to
wear black uniform tops as a show of unity against drugs.

The students at Pickering were allowed to wear camouflage as a part
of Red Ribbon Week.

In addition,each day certain children won ? Percent Me Drug Free" gym
bags and other goodies thanks to A.J. Smith and the Fort Polk Drug
Prevention Team.

Also, classes who had the greatest percentage of participation were
eligible for prizes at the end of the week.

There were banners hung throughout the school, and all schools in the
parish, reminding everyone to remain drug free.

THe highlight of the week, though, is the Drug Free Poetry and Essay
Contest, which most students participate in.

In the case of LJHS, the school's newspaper staff would be
responsible for judging the contest.

Spurgeon explained that, although each school approached the week
differently, a uniform message was being sent out to the students.

"Our theme this year was ? percent me, drug free," Spurgeon said.
"Every school participating is doing it a little differently, but we
coordinate with the other schools."

The person at the heart of this coordination is Mickey Seastrunk, the
coordinator for the Vernon Parish Safe and Drug Free Schools and
Communities Program.

Seastrunk said that she felt this year's program had been a success
thanks to the the teachers (one at each school) who serve as Safe and
Drug Free Coordinators.

"I think we have done well in maintaining an awareness of the
pitfalls and perils of drug abuse," Seastrunk said. "The Teachers and
students have been very involved in the activities throughout the
week. Having teachers in each school makes a big difference."

Seastrunk also pointed out that the Safe and Drug Free Schools and
Communities Program is one that goes on throughout the year.

At LJHS, Spurgeon's students receive 16 hours of drug-free training
and employees of the school, from administration through support
staff, receive in-service training to help them understand the threat of drugs.

Seastrunk said she felt that Vernon Parish's program was, for the
most part, accomplishing its purpose of keeping children off drugs.

"At the end of the day, I think the students in Vernon Parish schools
are doing a great job of staying drug-free," Seastrunk said. National
Red Ribbon Week was originally developed as a tribute to the late
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.

Camarena grew up in a dirt-floored home with hopes of making a
difference in the world. After working his way through college,
Camarena served in the U.S. Marine Corps before becoming a police
officer. Later in life, Camarena joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration and was sent to work as an undercover agent in Mexico
where he investigated a major drug cartel believed to include
officers in the Mexican Army.

On Feb. 7, 1985, Camarena, who was but 37, was on his way to meet his
wife for lunch when five men attacked him and threw him in a car.

One month later, Camarena's body was found in a shallow grave.
Authorities believe he was tortured to death.

In Camarena's memory and his battle against illegal drugs, his
friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin.

Eventually, parent groups began to adopt the red ribbon as a symbol
of their steadfast opposition to drugs.

In 1988, the National Red Ribbon Campaign came into being and has
since reached millions of U.S. children.