THOUSAND OAKS : Students Do Their Part for Anti-Drug Drive

Seven-year-old Monique Porsandeh quietly stood behind her classmates at University School on Tuesday, waiting to tie her bright red ribbon to the elementary school’s chain-link fence.

“We’re going to tie them to the gate to show we are drug-free,” she said. “We don’t want the school to have drugs or alcohol, or children to have drugs or alcohol.”

Symbolic gestures such as Monique’s ribbon tying are taking place not only at the Thousand Oaks campus but at schools around the state this week as part of Red Ribbon Week--five days of activities aimed at teaching children the dangers of substance abuse.

“We need to do our part to explain what drugs are and (explain) the consequences of drugs,” University Principal Alan Friedenberg said.

In addition to the ribbon-tying ceremony, some teachers at University are showing videos on drug prevention and encouraging class discussions, Friedenberg said.

“Everyone is doing something a little different,” he said.

At Los Cerritos Intermediate School in Thousand Oaks, students tied ribbons to trees, fences, buildings--even the flagpole--in recognition of Red Ribbon Week.

“If it didn’t move, we put a ribbon on it,” Principal Jo-Ann Yoos said.

Today, students at Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park will spell out drug-free messages by standing in formations on the athletic field, while a cameraman flies overhead in a helicopter to record their phrases.

And tonight in Simi Valley, a community rally will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Simi Valley High School athletic stadium to celebrate the anti-drug week.

Parents and students participating in University’s informal ribbon-tying ceremony Tuesday said the various activities held this week reinforce the message to say “No” to drugs and alcohol.

“If (children) aren’t aware, it is easy to fall into the trap and succumb to peer pressure,” parent Twila Cook said. “I think if you try to reach them at a young age, they will know that the answer is ‘No.’ ”