Teen drug prevention: La Quinta Middle Schoolers scare off drugs this Red Ribbon Week
Athena Jreij
LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) — On their final day of Red Ribbon Week, La Quinta Middle School is scaring off drugs and continuing a decades-long campaign against teen drug use.
The school spirit week began Monday, where students were encouraged to wear as much red as possible for the ‘We are REDy to say NO to drugs,” day.
Today, students are encouraged to wear their best Halloween costume, but administrators and student leaders say there’s a deeper meaning behind the spirit days.
“Stay substance-free, drug-free and alcohol-free because, that’s like the best lifestyle to live honestly. We want we want that for all of our students,” Harper Moyer said.
“It’s not just the spirit week. It’s more learning about something and how we can prevent drugs and alcohol use,” Ava Lopez said.
Since 1985, Red Ribbon Week has educated students on the dangers of drug and alcohol use.
It’s a decades-old tradition students are keeping relevant with new methods each year.
“We have our dress up days, like ‘scare off drugs’ or ‘lei off drugs’ for different days and we also have our pledge where we encourage all of our staff and students to sign. Then they get a certificate that reminds them of their commitment to say no to drugs,” Anni Lopez said.
That message rings true in the Coachella Valley as fentanyl-related overdoses continue to claim lives.
In 2020, 95% of all overdose deaths among 15 through 19-year-olds involved fentanyl. Riverside County found between 2016 and 2020, 56 teenagers died from overdoses, 25% or 14 of which were from the Coachella Valley.
There were also 168-drug related emergency visits every year from that same age group, according to the county.
Students and administrators at La Quinta Middle say peer pressure is still present and strong.
“A lot of that peer pressure starts even in middle school and goes on into high school and college. We’re teaching if you are pressured, learning to stand up for yourself and stand up for others, and to say no and do what’s right,” Dr. Farah Ortega-Choate said.
It’s a message they say will carry on beyond Red Ribbon Week.
For more information on Red Ribbon Week celebrations across the country, visit: https://www.redribbon.org/.