Schools get a chance to win $1000 for drug prevention during Red Ribbon Week | Events

The National Red Ribbon week kicked off October 23, but runs until October 31; 2012 marks the 27th year the campaign has been going.

Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the U.S., reaching nearly 80 million across the country.  The idea for the red ribbon campaign came in 1985 after a DEA agent was murdered; parents, children and teachers in communities across the U.S. started wearing ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to ‘raise awareness of the destruction caused by drugs.’ 

As an added bonus for 2012, there is an online competition for families to participate in, to win a $1000 grant for their school’s drug prevention program.   Families can generate online votes from friends, colleagues, schoolmates and other family members (the entries with the most votes wins), every state is eligible. 

To participate in the contest families and students will decorate the front of their homes with this year's message: "The Best Me Is Drug FreeTM."  

Here’s how students and their families can enter to win $1,000 for their local K-12 school and a new iPad for their home:

1. Students bring the Red Ribbon Week® message home by working alongside parents to decorate their front door, mailbox, fence, etc. with this year’s theme “The Best Me Is Drug Free™.”
2. Take a photo with the family and their Red Ribbon Week® decoration, then upload by Nov. 2 to www.redribbon.org/contest or  www.facebook.com/RedRibbonWeek (must be parents or 18+ to upload photos).
3. The voting begins! Ask family and friends to vote for your entry at www.redribbon.org/vote  Nov. 2-16. Ten lucky winners from regions across the U.S. will win. Winners will be announced at events at their winning schools in December.

“Students will once again take Red Ribbon Week’s® message of prevention home to their neighborhoods with this national contest,” said the NFP’s Volunteer President Peggy Sapp, in a recent news release.  “By decorating their homes together with this year’s Red Ribbon theme, families carry the message to their communities.”  

The DEA is co-sponsoring this year’s national contest. "DEA is excited to partner with the National Family Partnership® on this contest that empowers communities to come together to talk about the drug problem,” said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart, in the same news release.  “Red Ribbon Week® is also when we honor DEA Special Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena, who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our communities safe.”

Adds the NFP’s Peggy Sapp: “Take the Red Ribbon Week® pledge across America to help children grow up safe, healthy and drug free.” 

Visit www.redribbon.org/contest for contest information. 

Please watch the video to see how easy it is for families to enter.