Middlebrook students are sending a message: Stay drug and alcohol free!
Like thousands of other schools across the country, Middlebrook School is taking part in the National Red Ribbon Week Campaign Oct. 21-25. The theme this year is “Never Give In and Never Give Up.”
All week the students will be wearing red ribbons and taking part in many events to reinforce the important message of making positive choices to stay drug and alcohol free.
“It’s an opportunity to create awareness around making positive choices and adopting a very positive, clean lifestyle. Students really rally around this, and the different efforts during the week–one day they wear red, and another day there’s red pajama day. It’s a way to unite the students around an issue that impacts people around the world. It may not seem that it’s close to home, but it certainly has an impact,” said Middlebrook principal Maria Coleman.
On Monday, Oct. 21, all Middlebrook students will be part of an assembly by Matt Bellace, an alcohol- and drug-free presenter who entertains and motivates young audiences to live drug-free lives and to deal with peer pressure by looking inward for personal strength. Later Monday evening, at 7 p.m., in the Middlebrook Auditorium, Bellace will share with parents the same message he delivered to Middlebrook students earlier that day. According to organizers, it provides an opportunity for parents to engage in a meaningful conversation with their children about what they hear in school.
During the week, Y2Y members decorate the halls with red ribbons to promote the message, and wear red clothing–pajamas, socks, and other items. During lunch Y2Y members sell sweatshirts, shirts and sweatpants to promote the Y2Y club and its message. They also sell other merchandise that encourages kids to support the message of being drug and alcohol free. The students are encourage to sign the ” pledge wall, ” committing to be drug and alcohol free. Each year about 600 students sign the wall.