STUDENTS AT STARK REMINDED DRUGS BLOCK DREAMS

Red Ribbon Week Drives Home Importance Of Saying No To Drugs

BUCHANAN - Amelia Ernsberger wants to be a model someday. Stark
Elementary School classmate, Alexis Arnold, wants to be a doctor while
their friend, fellow third-grader Andi Frost, hopes to be a
veterinarian.

And Stark Elementary School Principal Karla Hurlbutt, counselor Sonia
Barlow and others want to make sure those dreams remain intact.

"As you go away, remember today," Hurlbutt said concluding a Friday
morning Red Ribbon Week anti-drug rally. "Have a dream; hang onto it,
and say no to drugs.

"Drugs will block your dreams."

After that the students, about 150 of them, got up and grabbed the
anti-drug signs they had made earlier in the week and paraded around
the outside of the school grounds.

Amelia liked the assembly that included an anti-drug song sung by the
student body, a speech by Superintendent Dave Casey, a presentation of
pledges not to do drugs to Mayor Earl "Joe" Scanlon and City Manager
Mike Hughes and a message from Sheldon D.H. Seltzer, Redbud Area
Ministries 2005 board chairman.

"It was neat that people say people can't do drugs because it messes
up your mind," Amelia said.

"I liked the cheers from cheerleaders because they were cool, and they
said no to drugs," Alexis said.

"I learned to say no to drugs," Andi said. "If you do drugs, that
dream could go away."

The dangers of drug use came through loud and clear in a talk by
Seltzer, who let the students know the best way to stay off drugs was
to never start them.

Seltzer told the children of a family who was always in need of money.
So he went over to talk to them and learned they were in that
situation "because someone in that family has been using the junk."

He also told the children of a man who died recently "because he was
using junk."

"The best decision you can possibly make is to learn how to do this,"
he said shaking his head sideways, signifying "no."

Also part of the rally was a cheer from Buchanan High School
cheerleaders that included shouts of "don't use drugs," and "stay drug
free."

The day concluded with a small group of students going from Stark to
the high school to deliver candy Tootsie Rolls to each classrooms with
the message, "please be a good 'roll' model. Stay away from drugs."

"We had an awesome response from our high-schoolers," Barlow said.
"They encouraged (the elementary students) to come in and clapped for
them. They were very supportive."

Earlier this week Stark students brought in cans for Redbud Area
Ministries amid the theme "Being drug free comes in cans, I can, you
can, we can."

As for the six-block walk around the school, the students showed
enthusiasm on the walk as well as for the singing and the listening.

Much like the early morning rain, the messages seemed to sink
in.

"I hope so," Barlow said. "We tried to make Red Ribbon Week fun and at
the same time we inform, so they make the connection ---- drug free
means you can still have fun.

"We talk about how someone will at some point in their life tell them
to that drugs are fun and they can't have fun without them. And we try
to make the connection early that you can have fun without them."

The weeklong celebration, which features daily activities around the
anti-drug theme, is changed every year, Barlow said, to keep it fresh.

"Overall, we had a great Red Ribbon Week this year," Barlow said.