The Sage Informer

Lifesavers is constantly working to put on events and help better Monticello High School. Red Ribbon Week, October 23rd through October 31st, is all about spreading awareness on drug and alcohol abuse along with teaching self confidence to younger kids in the district.

Junior Megan Allen said, “My favorite part about Red Ribbon Week is going and teaching lessons to little kids just because they are so cute, and they’re fun to hang out with. You can play little games with them and just talk with them. We played a game, and it’s about self confidence. So we had 6 kids jump and mark where they jumped. Then we had 6 kids do the same thing while the class was cheering them on, and all of them jumped higher. So the importance is self confidence, and if you believe you can do it then you can do it. I think that is really important for young kids to understand.”

Fellow Lifesaver member, Junior Olivia Nichols, agreed with Allen and said, “I like seeing them learn things and work together. I like seeing how they are genuinely interested and how they actually learn things. It is important to inform people of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and it’s also important for them to know that there are people there for them that can help them when they feel alone.”

Red Ribbon Week can be a lot of fun with the different activities happening. Lifesavers senior leader Charlie Ball, shared what she liked best about Red Ribbon Week, “Probably the trivia we have at lunch because if people get drug and alcohol related questions right they get candy!” 

While Red Ribbon Week has many enjoyable activities, there are important lessons to be taught as well. Ball went into depth on the ‘Angel of Death’ and said, “On Thursday we are going to have basically a grim reaper, we’re calling it, come around … and every 32 minutes we come and we grab another person. We give them a robe to wear, which means they died and can’t speak for the rest of the day. [This is] because every 32 minutes somebody overdoses or dies from drugs or alcohol.”

Guidance Counselor and Lifesavers club sponsor Mrs. Malone shared,  “It is making people aware that there are better choices than drugs. Our number one mission is suicide prevention so obviously that is important. But then we also want people to stay away from drugs and alcohol because that just makes your problems worse. Stay away from drugs and alcohol 52 weeks a year, not just during Red Ribbon Week.”

Alice Swanson, Staff Writer

swaal25@sages.us