During the week of October 21-25, Amador Valley’s Leadership Class spread awareness on campus, celebrating Red Ribbon Week to encourage students to live a healthy, drug-free life.
“Red Ribbon Week is about staying free from drugs, living a healthy lifestyle, and having positive mental health without drugs,” said Leadership Student Avi Marwah (’26).
Honoring Red Ribbon Week’s Legacy
In 1995, Mexican drug traffickers tortured and killed Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique Camarena while he was investigating in Mexico. To honor his legacy, the National Family Partnership (NFP) established Red Ribbon Week to spread awareness about the importance of living drug-free. Since then, Amador Valley has joined many schools nationwide in recognizing this week to educate students about mental and physical health.
High School Challenges and Community Support
“High school is one of the most emotional times in someone’s life. There’s a lot of things going on, there’s a lot of pressure, academic pressures, social pressures. And I think it’s extremely important for people to be in a community that accepts them […]” said Leadership Student Anusha Shelatkar (’26).
Studies show that 92.4% of students between ages 15-18 have tried alcohol, and 18.2% have smoked or vaped. Given these alarming statistics, schools across the country are taking steps to raise awareness. Amador Valley, in particular, used a decorative approach to spread the message, filling the campus with cheerful reminders.
Bringing the Campus to Life
“Leadership put up quite a few posters and red ribbons around the school, I believe it’s around 70 ribbons, to signify the importance of this week,” said Shelatkar (’26).
These posters and ribbons were both decorative and informative. They aimed to remind the student body at Amador to stay drug-free and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“You can support in little ways, like by wearing red to school, just like subtle things…” said Leadership Student Ariana Luan (’25).
Lasting Impact and Community Effort
Red Ribbon Week may only happen once a year, but its message lingers year-round. It gives students the opportunity to learn about the effects of drugs while fostering a sense of community.
“I like how everyone in the leadership class came together to make the bows and everything. We came together as a community to put them up, and it was very in tune with Red Ribbon week. It helps us stay drug-free and being in a community,” said Marwah (’26).
For decades, Red Ribbon Week has educated students on drug abuse and mental health, impacting millions each year. The message encourages everyone to make positive, healthy choices year-round, equipping them with the knowledge to live drug-free lives.
