Fun Fact: Red Ribbon Week was started by the DEA. According to redribbon.org, since 1985, the Red Ribbon has impacted the lives of millions of people around the world. Today, the Red Ribbon serves “as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.”

At MHS, we supported Red Ribbon Week each day of the week (October 23- October 27) in the form of a dressing up each day and the distribution of ribbons throughout the school. Monday was Formal Day, Tuesday was Twin Day, Wednesday was Hat Day, Thursday was Throwback Thursday and Friday was Red Day.

It started out in 1985, with Special Agent Kiki Camarena was a DEA agent for 11 years. He was assigned in Guadalajara, Mexico on a route to one of the biggest drug traffickers. He was very close to unlatching a multi-billion dollar drug bust. February 7, 1985, Kiki was kidnapped, tortured, and killed by mexican drug traffickers. After his death, loved ones started a club called Camarena Clubs. Hundreds of members started a pledged to live a drug free life. Today we call it Red Ribbon Week. MHS’s S.O.D.A. Club took on Red Ribbon Week and came up with all the spirit days. They also put red ribbons on all the doors of the school and on the students cars.

Austin Routt, S.O.D.A. Club president said, “We want to promote a drug free lifestyle.”

For more information check out https://www.dea.gov/redribbon/Toolkit_Page/Red-Ribbon-Fact-Sheet.pdf