Memorial Middle School Staff and Students Raise Funds and Awareness During National Red Ribbon Week

Students and staff at Memorial Middle School in Middlebury recently participated in the National Red Ribbon Campaign with a week of events that raised funds and awareness.

The campaign, which is sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, “focuses on educating students about healthy choices, especially the choice to avoid drugs,” explained MMS Math and History Teacher and Student Council Advisor, LeAnn Cassidy, who along with Jessica Hagopian, MMS Health Teacher, brought the idea of Red Ribbon Week (RRW) to the MMS Student Government.

Along with assistance from Advisor, Robin Frome, members of the school’s Student Council used the Red Ribbon Week theme for a kick off dance on Friday, October 20^th.  The $200 raised from the sale of RRW bracelets at the dance, will be used to benefit a drug awareness program.  Additionally, proceeds from the dance in the amount of $579 are being donated to the American Diabetes Association for Juvenile Diabetes research.

During the week of October 26^th, the entire school was decorated for RRW.  Signs of red with slogans promoting positive choices such as “Believe, Achieve, Succeed – Drug Free!” covered classroom doors.  Students and staff demonstrated their support by wearing red ribbons each day of the week. 

This is the first year that MMS has participated in RRW, but the hope is to expand the program in future years.  “Drug prevention education is part of what we do at MMS, and our Student Council Association has made the recognition of Red Ribbon Week a major school wide activity,” said MMS Principal, John Sieller.

“This was a great event,” said MMS 6^th grade student, Melissa H.  “Red Ribbon Week teaches kids not to do drugs and to reach your fullest potential in life by making good choices.”

According to the DEA, the Red Ribbon Campaign is the most far-reaching and well known drug prevention event in America.  To learn more about the program, visit www.dea.gov/ongoing/redribbon02.html