Red Ribbon Week on October, 2024: Whyz it called Red Ribbon Week?

Red Ribbon Week 2024.

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On February 7, 1985, undercover Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by members of a drug gang in Mexico. It took a search by 500 special U.S. agents to find his battered body in a shallow grave on a ranch in Mexico. He was buried with honors in his hometown of Calexico, California.

Enrique's congressman, Representative Duncan Hunter, moved by the agent's death, met with Mr. Henry Lozano, Director of Teen Challenge, and Mr. David Dhillon, a Calexico High School teacher to call for the creation of Camarena Clubs to promote the awareness of the dangers of drug abuse in his 45th Congressional District. This endeavor was supported and assisted by the Camarena family.

In honor of Kiki, the first Camarena Club was formed in April of 1985 at Calexico High School where Kiki Camarena and Henry Lozano graduated in 1966.

The Original Red Ribbon Pledge

On April 20, 1985, 100 students signed the following pledge that was written by Congressman Hunter's wife, Lynne...

"We, the undersigned students of Calexico High School pledge; in the honor of Enrique Camarena, and all others risking their lives, to stop the flow of drugs, to say no to drugs, to encourage my friends to say no to drugs, to provide support to others who use drugs to help them learn to say no to drugs, to become educated on the dangers of drugs, and provide this information to my community."

On April 26, Mrs. Hunter, Mr. Lozano, Mr. Dhillon, and Calexico High School students presented the signed Camarena Club Pledge to First Lady Nancy Reagan at the National Parent's Resource Institute for Drug Education Conference in Washington, DC.

On June 16, inspired by Kiki's sacrifice, the Virginia Federation of Parents and the Illinois Drug Education Alliance called on all Americans to wear red ribbons to symbolize their commitment to fight drug abuse.

The First Red Ribbon Week In California

The first local Red Ribbon Days event, sponsored by the Norwalk/La Mirada Grassroots Alcohol and Drug Education Project (GRADE) and the Norwalk Citizens Against Illicit Drugs, was held on October 28 -- November 4, 1985 in the cities of Norwalk and La Mirada, California. In October of 1986, Californians for Drug-Free Youth, Inc. sponsored the first statewide celebration of Red Ribbon Week.

Kiki's Memory Unites The Nation To Fight Substance Abuse

In 1988, under the leadership of the National Family Partnership, with Nancy Reagan as Honorary Chairperson, Congress proclaimed the first 8-day Red Ribbon Week. Since then, the Red Ribbon movement to remember and honor Kiki's death and raise drug awareness is celebrated by millions of students and teachers, along with community organizations, service clubs, businesses, faith communities, and law enforcement agencies. Today, Red Ribbon Week is held in thousands of schools and communities all across America.

Red ribbon week?

My son's in first grade and his school is doing red ribbon week. They're combining it with a kind of spirit week, each day with a slogan. Like today was pajama day and the phrase was "say goodnight to drugs". Tomorrow is backwards clothing day - "turn your back on drugs".

In his health class (Wednesdays) and on worksheets, they seem to be focusing on tobacco use. Today he had health and told me the forms of tobacco (cigarette, cigar, pipe, chewing), that they include nicotene which makes your brain want it more, and that his health teacher knew someone who lost his jaw because of chewing tobacco. He brought home a worksheet that was "draw a picture of yourself saying no to someone offering you a cigarette".

What I've told him prior to this week is that drugs and alcohol do things to your brain to make you not think correctly, and gave some examples like of someone driving and thinking they're doing well, but really they just left the road and hit a tree.

Any good ideas for Red Ribbon Week?

Our school is asking everyone to wear red one day, slippers another (slip past drugs), crazy socks one day (sock it to drugs), and crazy hats on Friday (hats off to Just Say No to Drugs). In the past we did ties one day (tie one on against drugs) and had all students sign a pledge to stay drug free and posted them in the cafeteria and front office.

We've also done a door decorating contest and an anti-drug banner contest. They did the contests by homeroom or team, and for the door decorating contest they gave the class donuts and juice and for the team banners they gave the team money.