THEY AIM TO BE DRUG-FREE

National Red Ribbon Week Kicks Off at Disney Elementary School With
Students Denouncing Drugs.

Students at Walt Disney Elementary School know what to do if someone
offers them drugs.

"Stop! Say no and go, go go!" said Bailey Harrison, 9.

Bailey and members of the school's student council came up with the
cheer for Red Ribbon Week, a national campaign that promotes
drug-free lifestyles, to help students remember what to say when they
are asked to use drugs.

Student council members did the cheer on Tuesday during an assembly
to help send the message to their peers.

"If you know the cheer, you can stay healthy and be active," said
Valerie Ng, 9, another student council member.

As they said the cheer, students put out their hands for "stop," and
waived their index fingers to signify "no."

They turned around and ran in place for "go."

"We hope the message has sunk in," said Melissa Pamperin, student
council teacher representative. "We wanted to make it a fun message
as well as an educational one."

Stephanie Argueta, 9, knows about the dangers of drugs.

"I know that drugs can kill you and they're not good for you," Stephanie said.

Her friend, Jennifer Aquino, 9, agreed with her sentiment.

Jennifer even felt she should tell someone if she was offered drugs.

"I would say no and walk away and tell my mom," Jennifer said.

Students will be participating in Red Ribbon Week activities for the
rest of the week.

They will assemble a puzzle that will reveal the slogan, "To Cool to Start."

Students will also decorate classroom doors with artwork that carries
the drug-free message, said Cris Watson, curriculum specialist.

"Each classroom is going to take on the theme and do what they think
looks attractive," Watson said.

But students hope to send their message of being drug-free to others
outside their school.

On Friday, each classroom will release balloons with postcards
containing notes that say students pledge to stay away from drugs.

"It's our way of sending out the message to the community and seeing
how far it gets," Watson said. "It's kind of a way of spreading the
word out beyond our school here."