KEEPING KIDS AWAY FROM DRUGS

Red Ribbon Week is continuing this week at local city schools.

I just think it is great the ways that schools put such an emphasis on
an issue as important as protecting the students from drugs.

Now I know that just because the schools take one week out of the year
and tell kids to say no to drugs, doesn't mean that all of them will
stay drug free. But I do think it does keep some from ever wanting to
touch drugs.

These children are taught from an early age that drugs are bad for
you. They are told of how drugs can negatively affect your life and
your dreams.

The elementary schools have fun activities to remind students to stay
drug free. They have themed days where they wear crazy socks or
camouflage. Monday, both Caldwell and Nelson "socked it to drugs" with
their crazy socks. On Wednesday, Caldwell will say "Boo" to drugs by
wearing their Halloween costumes or by designing their own shirts.

Over the past several days, Nelson has been selling Puppy grams to
raise money for the purchase of a bullet proof vest for Mato, the
police K-9. McGruff, the crime dog, will make an appearance at Nelson
for the kindergarten students on Friday.

These are just a few of the activities that the elementary school
counselors plan for the special week.

At Scottsboro High School, they even go as far during Red Ribbon Week
to set up a grave yard to remind students what drugs can do to them.
The scene is very elaborate. It is even quite scary if you really
think about it. Each of the names on the tombstones are names of real
kids that have overdosed on drugs. Kids the same age as the students
at the high school who had their lives snuffed out by trying to be
cool or trying to hang with the cool crowd.

But students that age need to see the reality of how dangerous drugs
are. Students at the high school level are in the prime age to have to
deal with tough issues such as drugs. The scene is a vivid reminder
that I don't think the students will soon forget.

Some classes at the high school took some extra time to decorate the
classroom doors for Red Ribbon Week. It was amazing to see what the
students came up with to depict the real horror of drugs.

I am just so thankful that the teachers at the schools care enough for
the well-being of the students to go above and beyond to keep these
kids away from drugs.