by Kendall Kirchoff, Halle Smith, Makayla Gardner, Hannah Cate Miller
Peer Helpers at Fairhope High School sponsored Red Ribbon Week, which raises awareness for drug and alcohol abuse among teens, October 21 through October 25.
Red Ribbon Week organization strives to lead and support the nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth.
“Red Ribbon Week is really to encourage people to not do drugs and to get people to really know the true meaning of the effects of what drugs can do to your body,” said Zaylee Bradley, junior Peer Helper.
Students participated in activities provided by peer helpers during lunch waves and dressed up according to the theme each day of the week. This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme was “Life is a Movie, Film Drug-Free.”
Dress-up days included “wear red,” “dress up as your favorite cartoon character,” “dress like a character in a movie genre of choice,” “dress like an actor from the 1920s-1950s” and “dress like your favorite actor or actress.”
“We made a lot of posters and a lot of little tiny red ribbons and we did our research and wrote down different facts and studies,” said Lyric Hall, junior Peer Helper.
Every day, Students on the morning announcements shared examples of people’s personal stories about how drugs changed the trajectory of their lives.
Throughout the week peer helpers set up games for students to participate in including cornhole and karaoke. Students won small prizes like bracelets and ribbons.
Each year a leader from each school is elected to lead the school during Red Ribbon Week. The leader is expected to be a role model to students and help organize events. Senior Brooklyn Ewart was selected to represent Fairhope High School as its 2024 Red Ribbon Week leader.
“I’ve had a ton of support setting up Red Ribbon Week which shows that there’s a lot of good,” Ewart said.
Students are expected to continue practicing skills and raising awareness even after Red Ribbon Week is over. This one-week event serves an example of the impact students can make upon their lives at an early age.
“I think Red Ribbon Week encourages people to realize that it is happening [when someone takes drugs] rather than just saying it, making people be involved in it,” Hall said.
