• Red Ribbon Week

    Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, drug, and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October. This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme is “Your Future Is Key, So Stay Drug Free.” This theme was created by a student in Solon, Ohio through the Red Ribbon Theme contest last school year.

    If your child would like to submit an idea for the 2018 Red Ribbon Theme Contest for a chance to receive national recognition and $500 of Red Ribbon-themed merchandise for IMS, please visit redribbon.org/enter for more information.

    At IMS, we are observing Red Ribbon Week next week, October 23-26. Each day will have a theme, and our morning announcements will have information related to Red Ribbon Week. The students will also participate in a school-wide activity.

    Here is the list of themes for each day next week. Please encourage your child to participate!

    • Monday: “Living without drugs/alcohol is no sweat.” Wear sweats/workout clothes
    • Tuesday: “Your future is too bright for drugs/alcohol.” Wear Neon
    • Wednesday: “Team up against drugs/alcohol.” Wear your favorite sports team apparel
    • Thursday: RED OUT DAY! The student in each homeroom wearing the most red will win a prize!

    On Monday during D.E.A.R., students will write a future goal on a cut-out of a red key. Each homeroom’s keys will be put onto a “keychain.” On Thursday, we will be incorporating each homeroom’s keys in a photo, which will be entered into the Red Ribbon photo contest!

    Resources

    The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a United States federal government research institute whose mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction, and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. NIDA is the largest supporter of the world’s research on drug use and addiction.

    The NIDA website offers a wealth of information for parents and teens. Some of those resources include:

    Contests

    The Bureau of Alcohol Education’s 2017-18 Alcohol Awareness Poster Contest is open to all Pennsylvania students in kindergarten through 12th grade. This poster contest gives students an opportunity to depict positive alternatives to underage drinking such as getting involved in sports, playing games, or volunteering in the community. Students have the chance to win cash prizes, and some of the winning designs may be reproduced in various formats and distributed across Pennsylvania. Visit the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board website for more information.

    Last school year, IMS won the Red Ribbon Photo Contest for our region, receiving an iPad and $1,000! This year, we are going to enter the photo contest again and will need your support in voting for our photo online. We will share more detailed information soon!