BES LEARNS ABOUT DRUGS' DANGERS, SHARES MESSAGE ON BALLOONS

The Bloomfield Elementary School Student Council sponsored several
activities this week for Red Ribbon Week.

The week and its activities are designed to create awareness among
youth that it's in their best interest to stay drug-free. BES
Principal Mary Jane Vandeventer said Red Ribbon Week is a nationwide
awareness program.

"It's for grades K through six, and the activities are
age-appropriate," she said. "It's drug education and awareness - fun
activities in an educational environment."

Among the activities the students participated in was the launch of
red balloons by all 24 elementary classes. Each had a message
attached announcing that the school pledges to be drug free. It also
states that a student launched the balloon in support of Red Ribbon
Week and asks that anyone who finds it return it to the school. That
way, the students will know how far their message spread.

Second-grader Emily Bucher said she thought her balloon would make it
to Bloomington, and her classmate Meaghan Bond thought hers would fly
to Linton.

The girls said they decorated classroom doors at the school for Red
Ribbon Week and put up a drug-free sign on the door of Bucher's mom's
classroom. The students also had "Red Day" on Monday, "Crazy Shoe
Day" on Tuesday, "Bring a Can of Food Day" on Wednesday, "Red
Bracelet/Hat Day" on Thursday, and "Career Day" on Friday.

Vandeventer said there also was an all-encompassing safety
convocation planned for Friday. The program, she said, covered topics
like strangers, as well as drugs.

Bucher and Bond said they already knew that they shouldn't do drugs,
and if asked to do so, would "just say no."

"I'd say 'no, because it messes up your brain,'" Bond said.

Vandeventer said the focus of Red Ribbon Week programming at Bond and
Bucher's grade level is that it's not good for your brain or body,
that you should never do drugs, you should tell an adult if someone
offers you drugs, and you should leave and get to a safe area if
someone offers you drugs.