Students throughout the Riverbank Unified School District will be participating in a variety of activities throughout the week of Oct. 22 through Oct. 26, promoting a drug free life. This year’s theme is “Life is your journey; travel drug free.”

Mesa Verde Elementary, California Avenue Elementary, Cardozo Middle School and Riverbank High School will all be participating with a door decorating contest, special dress-up days, lunch time activities, assemblies, and bringing awareness to focus on being drug free.

The National Red Ribbon Campaign began in 1985 and has since encouraged millions of people around the world to live drug free. According to redribbon.org, in response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by drugs in America. Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it.

“I’m only one person,” he told her, “but I want to make a difference.”

National Family Partnership, formerly the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth, was also established as a nonprofit organization by concerned parents that promoted drug prevention efforts.

California Avenue Elementary participated in a police assembly on Tuesday and wore mismatched clothes for the “Don’t let drugs mix you up” themed dress day. Cardozo Middle School, meanwhile, held a rally last Friday to kick off Red Ribbon Week.