Observing Red Ribbon Week in a special way, Riverbank Language Academy hosted a First Responders Assembly on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

The assembly ran from 9 a.m. to roughly 10:30 a.m. on the school campus, 2400 Stanislaus St., Riverbank, and featured a wide variety of agencies.

It was hosted as part of the school’s anti-drug educational efforts for Red Ribbon Week.

“We were excited to welcome members of the Fire Department, EMT/Paramedics, Sheriff’s Department, Probation Department, and SWAT to celebrate their work and share with our students the importance of making healthy, safe choices,” said RLA Administrative Assistant Aurora Plascencia.

Riverbank Language Academy is the dual immersion school (Spanish and English) in Riverbank, and features TK through eighth grade classes.

Plascencia said the invitation went out to several first responders, and they were able to set up multiple stations for students to visit during the assembly. The presenters were set up on the blacktop area of the playground, bringing equipment including a fire truck, SWAT vehicle, ambulance and more.

A special treat, noted Plascencia, was having the Riverbank School Resources Officer on hand for the assembly, with Officer Johnson a familiar face on the RLA campus due to making routine visits as part of his SRO position.

Plascencia said the school was happy to interact with the first responders in the community in a meaningful way for students.

“It was an outdoor assembly and some of the first responders are parents of our RLA students,” she explained. “It was nice to see them take the time to be here.”

Students also had the chance to tour some of the vehicles on display and a few RLA teachers seized the opportunity to pose in front of the SWAT vehicle and model some of the gear.

School staff and students alike seemed to enjoy the assembly and the chance to meet the first responders in a more relaxed, informal setting.