RCMS celebrates Red Ribbon Week

Reed-Custer Middle School celebrated Red Ribbon Week Oct.15 to 23.

Red Ribbon Week commemorates the ultimate sacrifice made by DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. He died at the hands of drug traffickers in Mexico while fighting the battle against illegal drugs to keep our country and children safe.

Dress up days were as follows: Monday - Sports Day: Sport an Attitude Against Drugs; Tuesday - PJ Pant Day: Follow Your Dreams, Don't do Drugs; Wednesday - Patriotic Day:  Drug-Free Country; Thursday - Superhero Day: You Have the Power to Stay Drug Free; Friday - Black and Gold Day: Panther Pride to Stay Drug-Free; Monday - Neon Day: Too Bright for Drugs; and Tuesday - Wear Red Day.

Announcements were made each day that included the meaning of Red Ribbon Week on Monday, and facts and statistics about drugs the other days.

Red Ribbon Week bracelets, donated by the Braidwood Police Department, were handed out to students at lunch on Monday. Students had the opportunity to sign and hang up a drug-free pledge during lunch hours.

Jim “Smitty” Smith of Teach Outdoors gave a presentation about alternatives to drugs on Wednesday during physical education classes.

Each grade level did activities around Red Ribbon Week in their Panther Times.

The culminating activity of the week was a Tuesday assembly, sponsored by the Encore Team. Students had a tug-of-war (tug against drugs) and dodgeball (dodge drugs) tournament as well as relay races, with participants receiving Twizzlers and the winners earning Red Powerade.

The students also heard from special guest speaker Joe Beckman about being a Difference Maker.