RESEDA : Red Ribbons, Pep Rally Mark Week Against Drugs in Reseda

To celebrate Red Ribbon Week, a nationwide anti-drug abuse program that started Monday, students in the Reseda area have gathered at school-wide assemblies, a pep rally and other drug awareness activities.

At Reseda Elementary School, students and teachers kicked off the week’s activities by tying red ribbons around the trees in front of their campus. They will wear smaller red ribbons on their clothing all week. The youngsters have the added incentive of receiving trinkets from DARE, an anti-drug program sponsored by the Los Angeles school district and police department, if they wear the ribbons every day through Friday.

About 400 students at Melvin Elementary School with the help of some Cleveland High School students started their observance of the ninth annual Red Ribbon Week on Friday, chanting “Say No!” as they spelled out the same message with their bodies on a school playing field.

The week is intended to teach children the dangers of drug abuse. Red Ribbon Week also memorializes the 1985 murder of federal drug-enforcement agent Enrique Camarena.

Cleveland High School and the elementary and middle schools that feed into Cleveland, such as Melvin Elementary, have banded together to teach kids of all ages about drugs for this year’s Red Ribbon Week.

“I really believe that it does take a village to educate a child,” said Deborah Leidner, a Los Angeles Unified School District official who oversees the Reseda area. “We have to come together.”

The “Say No” rally at Melvin also featured members of the Cleveland cheerleading and football teams, who spoke of their drug-free lifestyles.

“I really do think we are their role models,” said Vanessa Meza, 17, co-captain of the cheerleading squad. She said squad members get good grades and serve on student government positions and do not abuse drugs.

“Personally, I’ve never used drugs and I think I’m kind of successful,” said Eric Brown, 16, a receiver and linebacker for the Cleveland football team.

“The kids come up to me and they say, ‘I want to play football when I grow up,’ and when I was that age I used to say that, too,” said Brown, who added that if he had ever taken drugs, he probably would not be involved in football.