TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Each year, October, Red Ribbon Month provides us with an
opportunity to renew our commitment to a healthy and drug-free lifestyle and
show our dedication to education and prevention efforts in our schools and
communities.
The
Red Ribbons we wear during this celebration are a symbol of unity against the
illegal use of drugs. This public display came about in response to the tragic
1985 murder of Federal Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena
while he was investigating Mexican drug traffickers. At that time, angry parent
groups and others began wearing red ribbons to take a public stand against the
illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and to show their support for
drug-free youth.
Originally
known as "Red Ribbon Week"
it was usually
the last full week of October. Many communities and schools found it hard to
effectively conduct the campaign in seven days so it soon was celebrated
throughout the last half of October. Although some still recognize it as "Red Ribbon Week" it is now considered my most to be a national Monthly
celebration, Red Ribbon Month allows
educators, parents, community groups, students and others to focus on the work
being done to stop the spread of drugs and to draw attention to the growing
millions who have pledged to live drug-free.
Make
This Red Ribbon Month The Most Powerful One Yet!
To help you make this red ribbon month the most effective and memorable one yet,
here are 50 creative, involving, fun ideas to use in planning your next Red
Ribbon program.
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1.
Launch your program with the release of red balloons –
as many as possible. |
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2.
Plan a parade -- down the main street of your town, in front of your school,
or anywhere else where students and community supporters can get involved. |
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3.
Schedule a "Band Against Drugs" musical assembly. |
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4.
Hold an Essay Contest with prizes for the best prevention essays. |
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5.
Involve the whole family in your Red Ribbon
celebration with a Family Fun Night, complete with games, booths, and
other activities. |
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6.
Request that participants donate one can of food each for your "We Can
All Say No To Drugs!" program. Then give the cans to a local agency
that serves families in need. |
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7.
Serve as many red foods as you can think of on
a special Red Ribbon Day, for example, red
popsicles, apples, watermelon, pizza, tomato soup, tomato juice, and
so on. |
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8.
Plan a "Walk Out On Drugs" walkathon and give the money you raise
to your favorite prevention organization. |
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9.
"Kick Off" Red Ribbon Month (or Week)
in conjunction with Homecoming, an important home football game or another
popular community event. |
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10.
"Say Boo To Drugs" with a special Halloween Prevention Party. |
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11.
Hold a "Red Ribbon Run For Fun"
marathon to reinforce your commitment to healthy living. |
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12.
Decorate bags with red ribbons and prevention
messages for use in local stores during Red Ribbon
Month. |
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13.
Decorate every door in your school with messages that promote a drug-free
lifestyle. |
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14.
Distribute Pledge Cards that invite each participant to make a personal
pledge to be drug-free. |
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15.
Invite everyone to wear red for the day. |
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16.
Ask students to participate in "Give Drugs The Slip Day" with
everyone wearing slippers. |
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17.
Hold a "Sock It To Drugs Day" and ask everyone to wear the
craziest socks they can find. |
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18.
Announce a "Be Vested Against Drugs Day" and have everyone wear
vests. |
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19.
Make a "Boot Out Drugs Day" with everyone wearing boots. |
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20.
Use student baby pictures for a giant collage entitled, "Born To Be
Drug Free." |
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21.
Use the theme, "Drugs Are Unbearable!" and give out teddy bears. |
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22.
Hold a "Slam Dunk -- Drugs Are Junk," basketball game during Red
Ribbon Month. |
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23.
Have your own B.Y.O.B. Banana Split party. Ask students to bring their own
bananas. |
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24.Put
on skits that portray the message, "Users Are Losers." |
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25.
Let each student write their own reasons for being drug free on a red
ribbon. |
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26.
Create posters to put up in the classroom and around the school that state
the negative effects of drugs. |
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27.
Involve local businesses. Ask them to offer a special give-away for any
customer wearing a Red Ribbon that day -- a can
of soda, a special discount, etc. |
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28.
Decorate against drugs. Decorate your school or a special area with red
ribbons, banners, posters and other items that display drug
prevention messages. |
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29.
Hold "Hugs Not Drugs Day," by inviting younger students to bring
in their favorite stuffed animal. |
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30.
Invite students to wear headbands or bandannas for a "Band Against
Drugs" theme. |
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31.
Ask students to wear the craziest ties they can find for a "Tie One On
Against Drugs" event. |
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32.
Wear clothing inside out for a "Don't Let Drugs Turn You" Day. |
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33.
Tie a Red Ribbon onto every car in your parking
lot or neighborhood. |
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34.
Hold a Poster Contest, awarding a prize to the creator of the best drug
prevention message poster. |
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35.
Party at a "Red Ribbon Sock Hop" at
which everyone must wear red socks. |
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36.
Invite Michael Scott Karpovich
or other prominent drug prevention experts to come speak at your school or
organization. |
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37.
Allow students to write and then sign their own personal pledges to live
drug free. |
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38.Design
Red Ribbon Celebration Banners to hang in front
of your school or in a prominent place inside. |
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39.
Go national. Invite all students to sign their names
on red ribbons and send them to Washington as a symbol of unity and
concern for others. |
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40.
Have a "Living Drug-Free Is No Sweat" day with everyone wearing
sweat clothes to school. |
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41.
Ask everyone to wear sneakers for "Don't Let Drugs Sneak Up On
You" day. |
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42.Wear
clothes backwards for "Turn Your Back On Drugs" day. |
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43.
On "Shade Out Drugs Day," suggest that everyone wear sunglasses. |
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44.
Write a theme song with drug prevention messages to use in your Red
Ribbon Celebration. |
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45.
Use your school mascot or choose a special Red Ribbon
Campaign mascot to dress up and spread your Drug Free and Proud
message throughout the school. |
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46.
Ask each student to write a poem on a Red Ribbon
Celebration theme. Post poems in the classroom and around the school. |
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47.
Hold a Red Ribbon Program for parents with
skits, songs and other student performances. |
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48.
Plan a school or community prevention mural to be created during your Red
Ribbon Celebration. Offer a prize for the best prevention theme or
idea to be used for the mural. |
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49.
For younger students, have a Coloring Contest where they paint or color in a
picture with a prevention theme. For older students, have them design and
complete their own prevention painting. |
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50.
Have a contest for the best drug prevention slogan to use |
Red Ribbon "WEEK" is
October 21st through 27th 2007!
Plan Your
Day-By-Day Red Ribbon Week Schedule
To get the greatest impact from this year's Red Ribbon Celebration, take any of the 50 ideas we've suggested or others you prefer and use them for the suggested day-by-day Red Ribbon Week Activity Schedule that follows.
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Day
1. Red Ribbon Weekend If you start your Red Ribbon Week on Sunday, invite
the religious organizations in your community to participate in Day 1's
special events.
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Day
2. Red Ribbon Decoration Day Start the week off by putting on Red Ribbons
and decorating your school or community with a Red Ribbon motif. |
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Day
3. Reach Out To Others Day Use this day to connect with others -- those
who have already committed to a drug-free lifestyle and those who have not. |
Day
4. Rally In Red Day Add energy to your Red Ribbon Celebration by holding a
Rally and inviting everyone who attends to wear red. |
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Day
5. Make A Pledge Day Set aside one day for students to make or renew their
pledge to live drug-free. Use plenty of posters and other announcements to
create excitement and increase participation. |
Day 6. Red Ribbon Recognition Day Hold a special ceremony, program or assembly to recognize those who have made this special commitment to live drug-free. Also recognize students and adults who helped make your Red Ribbon Week Celebration an exciting and meaningful event for your school and community. |
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Day
7. Red Ribbon Halloween Bash/Sporting Event Finish off your Red Ribbon
Celebration with a weekend sports activity such as a football or
basketball game -- and a "Say Boo To Drugs" Halloween Party. |
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A Unique Speaker Ideal for your Red Ribbon
Campaign:
For over twenty years schools have invited Certified Speaking Professional, Michael Scott Karpovich in to speak to students and communities about the decision of being drug free!
While still in high school in the late 70's Michael started speaking to children, telling stories to kids on the bus, speaking at 4-H clubs and encouraging children to reach for their dreams! For some reason he had an amazing rapport with young children. He quickly realized that he had a gift communicating to teens and young kids.
After attending the University of Michigan, in the early 80's with a degree in Child Psychology, Michael got his first professional job as the Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator for the State of Michigan. He was put in charge of the five counties of the Thumb of Michigan. This role had him traveling hundreds of miles between schools and communities. He was apparently in the right place at the right time; in 1985 and 1986 Michael was part of the very first Red Ribbon Campaigns.
"PREVENTION" was a new concept in the late 70's and early 80's and Michael was privileged to be a pioneer in prevention. He became involved in starting grass root prevention groups, youth programs, parenting programming and other healthy educational ventures.
Although it was not officially part of the job,
Michael was often asked to speak to schools and communities. The reviews from
one school quickly spread to another and then another until most of his work
consisted of speaking to middle schools, high schools, parent groups and
teachers throughout the state of Michigan!
Soon the speaking requests increased so dramatically that Michael feels that he can't both conduct "primary prevention" in the schools through his speeches, and also do an appropriate job as a more "administrative" Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator. So Michael left his position in favor of a more flexible college instructor. This gave Michael more time to speak for schools and communities.
Soon Michael is requested to speak for programs
across the United States. However as his message is well received -- the demand
continues to increase. Finally in 1986 Michael realized that he could make a
powerful impact on kids if he made it into a full-time youth focused profession!
Since then Michael speaks to an average of 300,000 high school students and over 100,000 middle school students each year!
Michael's youth
message is titled "BECOMING THE BEST GENERATION™” and focuses on
discovering RESILIENCY regardless on what you face. This program is tailored for
the individual age of the audience…
Since
the beginning of his exciting speaking career, Michael has been invited to speak
in 43 states, three Canadian providences, New Zealand, and Australia!
Often Michael is invited to keynote national substance abuse prevention programs like the original "Just Say No" campaign and PRIDE, and statewide prevention programs like I.D.E.A. (Illinois Drug Education Alliance), and Virginia’s Y.D.A.P.P. (Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project). Often individual schools invite him to speak at their Project Prom & Project Graduation. He is a regular guest speaker at regional and statewide Teen Institutes, Snowballs, & Snowflakes!
Unlike
many of the accomplished youth speakers out there, Michael guarantees his work.
If you bring him in to speak to your school and are disappointed you are not
responsible for any fee whatsoever!
Check any of these links to discover how Michael Scott Karpovich can make your "RED RIBBON CAMPAIGN" a big success. Call soon October is often the first month to book on his calendar!
