Senator, School Embrace Effort Against Drugs

Clutching a teddy bear in his arms, state Sen. Jack O’Connell had a simple, straightforward message for the nearly 300 grade-school kids looking up at him from the courtyard at Lincoln School.

“All of you know that drugs are very bad and very dangerous, and you have to help us just say no to drugs,” said the Ventura County lawmaker, visiting the downtown Ventura campus Thursday to boost the school’s Red Ribbon Week campaign.

“What this week is about is to help you remember to say no,” he continued. “We want you to say no today, say no tomorrow and say no forever.”

Across Ventura County, similar campaigns are underway to warn children about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol.

The Red Ribbon campaign began in 1985 after the slaying of federal Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique Camarena by drug traffickers in Mexico. It has since become a symbol in the fight against drugs and substance abuse, with schoolchildren across the nation sporting red ribbons this time of year to show support for that effort.

In Thousand Oaks, for example, the Conejo Valley Substance Abuse Prevention Authority will kick off its Red Ribbon activities on Saturday with an event at The Oaks mall featuring seminars by DARE officers and information on substance abuse.

At Lincoln School in Ventura, officials adopted the theme “Drugs Are Unbearable.” All week, Lincoln youngsters have brought stuffed bears of all shapes and sizes to school, pinning red ribbons on them. The students clutched their bears Thursday as O’Connell spoke.

“These bears show that you made a commitment, not only to yourself but to everyone here today, to say no to drugs,” Lincoln Principal Elke Fedde told the youngsters.

At the end of the program, fifth-graders Teressa Coenen and Timothy Aguirre presented O’Connell with a bear of his own.

“Here’s a bear for you and thank you for supporting us,” Teressa told the senator.