Drug Education at Cottonwood Elementary

By PHIL FAUVER Guest Writer

The last week of October was Red Ribbon Week at Cottonwood Elementary School in Orangeville. Red Ribbon Week is a week to promote drug awareness among the students. It is going on throughout the school district as part of a campaign for students to avoid drugs and other harmful substances that could cause intoxication, sickness, mental or physical impairment, and even death. Red Ribbon Week is set aside the last week of October for drug awareness. Red ribbon week was set aside at Cottonwood Elementary School to make children aware of the harmful substances and to be free of drugs.
The Cottonwood Elementary School, Parent Teachers Association President Carmen Humphrey, works in conjunction with the school teachers and staff to help the school with their Red Ribbon Week. Every day there is an event to make the children aware of harmful drugs.
Monday was wear red day. On this day each student was given a red bracelet with a number to wear. Then each day during the week the office secretary would call out a students bracelet number. If the student was still wearing the bracelet and came to the office, they were given a treat.
Tuesday was camouflage day or Be All You Can Be and Be Drug Free. The children dressed in camouflage clothing on that day.
Wednesday was Don’t Be a Dum Dum. On that day the children dressed as nerds. Also the Governing Youth Council from Emery High School presented a Skit with a Western theme for Red Ribbon Week at Cottonwood Elementary School in Orangeville.
The Governing Youth Council members A.J. Borda, Laurel Jeffries, Jennifer Anderson, Tylynn Webster, and Brody Humphrey presented the skit. All of the characters were dressed as cowboys and in this skit, the rules of the ranch were discussed, demonstrated and sung about. The Rules Of The Ranch were as follows, “Only Say Positive Things To Your Self.” “Treat Others The Way You Would Like To Be Treated.” “Don’t Be Discouraged By Mistakes.” “Do Your Best At Whatever You Do.” “Be Responsible.” “Find The Things You Like To Do and Learn To Do Them Well.” The Governing Youth Council is under the direction of Advisor Lorie Huntington from Four Corners Behavioral Health.
On Wednesday after the skit all the students were given red balloons to release into the air over Orangeville. It was a beautiful sight to see the balloons floating up into a cloudless blue sky.
Thursday was Be Drug Free Inside and Out. The students dressed in clothes turned inside out. Sgt. Tom Harrison and Detective Jerod Curtis from the Emery County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Task Force, presented several topics starting with tobacco, marijuana, alcohol along with other harmful drugs and finally a discussion of what to be aware of in the community and to report illegal activity. The demonstration of what alcohol impairment looks like (using special glasses) was very convincing. The final instructions that these officers gave were as follows: If you are asked to try a harmful substance, Just Say No.
Friday was Hocus Pocus Don’t Let Drugs Be Your Focus. The children and teachers dressed in their Halloween costumes walked out of the school front door and around the block as children’s proud parents watched.
Friday evening Cottonwood Elementary held a Halloween Carnival and Spook Alley that included a soup supper all for $3.