ANTI-DRUG, VIOLENCE MESSAGES KICK OFF RED RIBBON WEEK

Tahlequah students will participate in a variety of events, from serious to
fun. One by one, the candles were snuffed out.

Each represented an incident of school violence, committed by students - as
remote as other areas around the country, as near as Fort Gibson. A series
of skits presented at Tahlequah Junior High School presented messages
against substance abuse and violence.

The assembly kicked off Red Ribbon Week, an annual observance at many
schools for the past few years. This morning, local elementary students
were bused to Northestern State University for another anti-drug program
featuring several musicians and performers. "We are here today to
demonstrate the effects of choices of all kinds," said Tahlequah High
School student Jamie Grosser, one of the students presenting the skits at
TJHS. Preventionist Melissa Bethancourt told the students Red Ribbon Week
is a time to focus on the effects of harmful behaviors, including substance
abuse and violence.

She said the week was founded in memory of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. "'Kiki'
grew up in poverty in a home with dirt floors," she said. Despite this poor
start, he completed college and joined the Drug Enforcement Administration
as an agent. "He always said, 'I'm only one person, but I want to make a
difference,'" Bethancourt said. While working as an undercover drug agent,
he was kidnapped and murdered. Drugs kill, and drug money supports terror,
Bethancourt said. Some of the students described a carload of teens struck
by a drunk driver. "You lay there, still in the car, thinking about your
family, your friends.

What happened to your friends who were in the car with you? They all died.
You died too," the students said. One of the younger participants gave a
dramatic reading about a 3-year-old girl who lay in terror as her drunken,
abusive father arrived home from the bar. The reading ended with the
father's attack on the child. Other students, wearing black T-shirts and
bandannas, portrayed cocaine, methamphetamine, LSD, alcohol and other drugs
as they attacked a drug user, killed her, and seduced other teens. The skit
participants encouraged students to engage in positive activities, such as
clubs and music.

Two musicians performed for the group. Bethancourt said the week is
intended to inform students about the dangers of drugs and violence brought
on as young people, and as a country. "We've got a lot of concern going on
at school today.

We've got people in the counselor's office," Bethancourt said, referring to
the most recent violence that occurred in Sallisaw over the weekend. Daniel
Fears, 18, is accused of fatally shooting two people and wounding seven
others during a shooting spree that began after a neighbor allegedly
criticized Fears for driving recklessly near children. Bethancourt said she
believes assemblies like the one Monday have an effect on the students.
"Usually after we have an assembly, somebody will come in and say, 'I'm
concerned about something,'" she said. She believes the assembly sets the
tone for the week, one of seriousness. Some of the other activities, such
as the one in which everyone is supposed to wear a hat or cap on Friday,
are more lighthearted. Other Red Ribbon Week activities will include: *
Today, "Team Up Against Drugs" day. Students will wear orange and white
school colors.

The Drug Free Youth group from THS will come during lunch to paint spirit
faces for TJHS students, in preparation for tonight's game against
Muskogee. * Wednesday, "Red Ribbon Day." Students are asked to wear red.
The Drug Free Council will hand out red ribbons that say "I'm no fool,
drugs aren't cool." * Thursday, "Grim Reaper" day. This year they will
paint faces of death on Halloween day! Zombie faces on students, will
represent the number of people who die each day because of alcohol or drugs.

Bethancourt, the Grim Reaper, will pick these students randomly, out of the
hall or classrooms. These students will wear signs stating their reason of
death, such as heroin overdose, and are not allowed to talk for the rest of
the day. The students can see for themselves just how many people die
everyday. * Friday, "Put a cap on drugs," we need to protect our heads!

Everyone will wear caps or hats to school that day. It's also "Sock it to
drugs," where students will wear crazy, unusual socks.