STUDENTS TAKE CREATIVE STANDS AGAINST DRUGS DURING RED RIBBON WEEK

Donning red ribbons and stickers proclaiming their desire for drug-free
lives, thousands of Pasadena ISD students have already begun taking part in
school-organized anti-drug activities for Red Ribbon Week.

A campaign promoted by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and
the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Red Ribbon Week encourages
students to choose healthy, drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles.

"This campaign provides communities with a forum to bring together parents,
schools and businesses as we look for new and innovative ways to keep kids
drug-free," said Dr. Dave Wanser, TCADA executive director.

At South Houston Intermediate School, creating an environment conducive to
healthy lifestyle choices meant building a "wall against drugs" in the
school's front lobby. Construction of the wall began yesterday afternoon.

Made of three-dimensional paper bricks bearing the signatures of every
students, faculty member, staff member and administrator, the colorful
structure would end up being about 1,500 bricks strong.

"Everyone in the entire school is placing a brick on the wall," said South
Houston's Communities in Schools coordinator, Pam Maloney. "From the
students to the teachers to the people who staff the cafeteria, no one is
left out."

The signatures on the bricks serve as the students' pledges to always make
smart decisions about drug and alcohol use. Although South Houston has had
Red Ribbon Week activities for several years, this is its biggest
undertaking yet.

The school will continue waging its war against drugs on Thursday, when
students will write negative effects of drug use on pieces of paper, then
crumble the paper into wads and toss them into trash cans.

The final event will happen on Friday, when South Houston Intermediate will
team up with neighboring Matthys Elementary School and some students from
nearby South Houston Elementary School for a morning parade.

"The kids are going to march all the way around the schools, and it will
eventually end up in the (Matthys) gym, where they'll have a big rally. The
(South Houston) fire department, police department and council members will
be there," Maloney said.

South Houston Elementary also has its own Red Ribbon Week events planned,
including a "March Away from Drugs" on Thursday morning.

Pre-kindergarten to second grade students will march to the local fire
station for a safety talk by Chief Roy Medina, while another guest speaker
will talk to grades 3 - 5 about the dangers of drug use.

Another school that will march in an anti-drug parade is Kruse Elementary
School, which has designated Friday afternoon for its event. From 1 - 2
p.m., the streets around Kruse will be closed so that children in all grade
levels can march.

Several local elementary schools have chosen to observe Red Ribbon Week by
hosting fun theme days, each with a distinctly serious message.

At J.D. Parks Elementary School, students kicked off Red Ribbon Week Monday
with a pep rally and celebrated Don't Clown Around With Drugs Day yesterday
with a visit from Cinnamon the Clown.

Parks' remaining events include today's Sock it to Drugs Day, during which
everyone wears crazy socks and dances in sock hopes; Wear Red, Don't Let
Drugs Get in Your Head Day, which will include a simultaneous red balloon
release from the playground; and Say Boo to Drugs Day on Halloween, with a
performance from a cowboy, his horse and his dog.

Theme days at Gardens Elementary School have each been designated with a
catchy slogan. On Monday, students brought stuffed animals to say that
"hugs are better than drugs"; Tuesday, they dressed patriotic for "United
we stand to be drug-free."

Today, Gardens students will wear slippers to "slip into a drug-free
lifestyle," and tomorrow, they will wear red shirts to "dare to say no to
drugs." Finally, the children will dress western for Friday, when "Tough
Texans don't mess with drugs."

Gardens and South Houston Elementary are among the schools that have opted
to display their drug-free spirit on classroom doors. Each is holding a
door decorating contest that will be judged late this week.

Red Ribbon Week, created in 1986, has become a major event in schools since
its inception - a success in the eyes of those who continue to promote it
across the state.

"Red Ribbon Week is a chance to be visible and vocal in our desire for a
drug-free community and alcohol-free youth," TABC Commissioner Alan Steen said.