LOCAL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN RED RIBBON WEEK

Putting good stuff in her body and keeping bad stuff out is a concept
that Abigail Ruiz, fifth-grader at Woodbury Elementary School, now
has a firm grasp on thanks to lessons she has been learning through
Red Ribbon Week.

Ruiz and every other student in the Marshalltown school district are
taking part in the week designed to keep students off drugs and alcohol.

"Smoking cigars and drinking alcohol are all really bad for you,"
Ruiz said. "We learned that we need to keep our bodies healthy by
putting good stuff in our body."

Ruiz's classmate Ana Fernandez said she also understands the harmful
effects of drugs after the lessons she has learned this week.

"If you chew tobacco then you're teeth are going to turn black and if
you smoke your lungs are going to turn black," Fernandez said. "Both
of those things won't make you healthy."

At Woodbury Elementary School, Counselor Deb Vos has been in charge
of the informative part of the week by sharing healthy living tips
and harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.

Throughout the week she has various activities planned to help
students in each grade level understand the overall purpose of the
week-long program.

"With the older kids you can tell that they understand the concept
and realize that if they do take drugs bad things will happen," Vos
said. "With the littler ones though it's more about helping them to
make good decisions overall."

Despite varying lessons, Vos said the school is unified in showing
their support of the week by wearing red ribbons around their wrist
and taking a pledge to be drug-free.

Red ribbons can be found throughout the Marshalltown Community School
District this week as each school has devised their own way of
recognizing the campaign.

For example, Hoglan Elementary School will be hosting an inflatable
Jurassic Survivor obstacle course Thursday, and Franklin Elementary
students can wear their favorite team apparel on Friday. Each day's
event coincides with lessons the students will be learning that day.

Activities throughout Marshalltown are taking place as part of the
statewide Red Ribbon Week campaign that is designed to help prevent
students from starting, and decrease the number of students already
using alcohol or tobacco.

According to the 2002 Iowa Youth Survey on the Iowa Red Ribbon Web
site, sixth-graders reported six percent current use of alcohol or
two percent current tobacco use in the last 30 days. Eighth-graders
reported 18 percent current use of alcohol or 10 percent current
tobacco use in the last 30 days.

For more information on student statistics or the history of Red
Ribbon Week check out www.redribboniowa.org.

For more information on specific school activities contact your
student's school counselor.