COUNTYWIDE : Red Ribbon Week Fights Drugs, Drink

Students at Sierra Vista Junior High School in Irvine gathered Monday morning around a car mangled in a drunk-driving accident and watched in silence as four of their fellow students were pulled out.

Two of the students were “fatally injured” in the staged accident, created to launch Red Ribbon Week, a nationwide effort to heighten awareness of alcohol and drug problems.

Another “injured” student suffered minor injuries, and the “driver” was questioned, fingerprinted and handcuffed by police who responded to the scene. The police were followed by the Fire Department and paramedics, who carried students away on stretchers.

“It was very impressive,” Principal Jean Mylen said. “It’s a very different situation to stand in front of a class and say, ‘Don’t drink because this might happen,’ than to actually show them. One of the police gave statistics, and it was very impressive when he said that the parents would not see these kids again.”

In addition to the accident, which will be re-created this morning, Sierra Vista is holding assemblies and discussions throughout the week to educate students on the dangers of drug and alcohol use.

The events were among many being offered this week throughout Orange County as schools here join others across the nation in Red Ribbon Week activities. The Red Ribbon campaign was launched in 1985 in Calexico after federal narcotics agent Enrique Camarena was killed by drug traffickers in Mexico.

Among this week’s Red Ribbon events:

* El Modena High School in Orange will hold a “blackout day” on Friday, selecting a student every 20 minutes to have his or her face painted white, depicting teen-agers who have died because of alcohol and drugs.

* “Champions,” a multimedia program with an anti-drug message, will be presented to Tustin students and staff today at Tustin High School and Hewes Middle School and next Tuesday at Columbus Tustin Middle School.

* Prospect Elementary School in Orange will hold a teddy bear parade for students and adults on Wednesday.

* The “Grim Reaper” will visit Capistrano Valley High School Thursday to graphically illustrate how many high school-age students die each day because of substance abuse.

* Many schools, including Robert P. Heideman Elementary School and Columbus Tustin Middle School in Tustin, will hold days where students are encouraged to wear red. Many schools are also holding poster and essay contests and encouraging students to take anti-drug pledges.

There will be similar events at virtually all schools in the county throughout the week. For more information, contact individual schools or your local school district office.