Week leads students to choose to be drug free

Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Bearing weighted backpacks, second graders compete in a relay Monday on the playground at Lee Hunter Elementary in Sikeston. This week marks the nationwide Red Ribbon Week, when students learn about the dangers of drugs and make pledges to be drug-free. The weighted backpacks demonstrated to students how abusing drugs can weigh them down. (Photo by Leonna Heuring, Staff)

leonnah@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- Keeping in line with the political season, students at Lee Hunter Elementary are electing to be drug-free this year during Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country. Although the start-end dates can vary, Red Ribbon Week generally takes place the last full week in October, with the weekends before and following the last full week as celebration dates.

"For me, it's more about making good choices and decisions and being responsible, which is this month's character education word. By being responsible, you're making drug-free choices," said Lee Hunter Elementary Counselor Kristen Rapert.

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