| When Red Ribbon Week started back in 1988 it | | | | abuse and the effects and results of drug |
| was to honor a young DEA (Drug Enforcement | | | | abuse. Teachers started implimenting their |
| Administration) Agent by the name of Enrique | | | | own programs or programs offered by the |
| Camarena. His friends knew him by the name | | | | states so that they might get ahead of the |
| of "Kiki" . He was kidnapped and killed in | | | | problem. They found ways to teach children |
| Mexico back in 1985. He had uncovered a | | | | about alcohol, smoking, and drugs. They |
| multi-billion dollar drug scam which might | | | | implimented lessons into their science and |
| have involved the Mexican Army, police force | | | | health lessons. They role played and did |
| and government. When he left his office one | | | | demonstrations. I |
| day, five men kidnapped him. He was found | | | | |
| about a month later buried in a shallow | | | | In my classroom I found that having a play / |
| grave. He had been tortured and beaten. | | | | skit about drugs brought the children a sense |
| | | | of ownership and they wanted to pass on their |
| In 1988 the U.S. Congress proclaimed the | | | | knowledge to their friends and peer groups. |
| first Red Ribbon Week supporting the cause | | | | This they did by putting on plays and skits |
| that "Kiki" had given his life for. It is | | | | in assemblies for the whole school. Audience |
| one of the first times that ribbons were used | | | | participation was a must and the students |
| to support a cause, the fight against drugs. | | | | looked forward to participating. |
| Now ribbons are used all the time to show | | | | |
| support such as, for missing children, | | | | Sometimes the best way to attack a problem is |
| fights against diseases, and support our | | | | with a sense of humor so such a scary subject |
| military. | | | | does not seem over whelming to a child. |
| | | | Thus, humor was incorporated into the plays |
| Many teachers were around when this first | | | | and skits to soften the hard message that |
| happened and they were concerned about | | | | needed to be given. |
| teaching about drugs in the classroom. This | | | | |
| was not their area of expertise. On the | | | | Using fun plays, skits, and programs during |
| other hand they could see that in ten years | | | | Red Ribbon Week is a way to get students |
| this might be a requited subject so they | | | | involved in the fight against drugs. |
| started preparing for what they felt was the | | | | Audience participation encourages all who are |
| inevitable. | | | | there to stand up and be counted in the fight |
| | | | against drugs. Just as "Kiki" stood up and |
| Teachers started gearing up for what they | | | | had the courage to fight even though he died |
| knew was coming. They started to take | | | | in doing so. His legacy lives on in Red |
| classes and educate themselves about drugs. | | | | Ribbon Week and in the DARE programs that are |
| These drugs were foreign to them and they | | | | used through this country. |
| needed time to learn about the causes of drug | | | | |