This year’s Red Ribbon Week at Hidden Valley High School will begin on October 23rd and run through October 31st. Keeping up with the tradition, each day has a new dress up theme.

Red Ribbon Week began as a tribute to Enrique Camarena, a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) special agent that was murdered in 1985. Since then, the campaign has spread throughout the nation raising drug awareness with the red ribbon symbolizing a drug free life.

Every year Red Ribbon Week has a theme. This year’s theme is “Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free.” Acknowledging the difference between positive and negative peer pressure is a major theme every year for this movement.

Siri Varshini Devupalli (9) said, “Positive peer pressure comes from people who want to help better ourselves. Negative peer pressure comes from people who don’t really care about you.”

Kaitlyn Kingsley (9) spoke about experiencing negative peer pressure once and not wanting to give in, but still did.

Each day, October 23 through 31 has a theme to dress to. On Monday, the theme was wearing red. Tuesday, it was wearing a jersey to “team up against drugs.” Wednesday was twin day. Thursday was pajama day. Friday, Halloween, was a costume contest. There were three winners per lunch.

“It’s important to talk about drug prevention,” Devupalli said, “…not everyone knows about how bad drugs are for you. The only way some people might learn about its effects are from school.”

Remember to solve life drug free and be safe, respectful, and responsible! Go Titans!