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September 14, 2008
Red ribbons proclaim stance against drugs Three Catholic schools recognized
What would any parent think hearing their child talk to another child about: “some sauce, juice, brown sugar or a horse?”
Nothing would be really alarming or shocking. The conversation might seem a little goofy, but not alarming. Not everybody knows that those words, among many others, are slang words for drugs. Not everybody knows either, that last year nearly 10 percent of Illinois teenagers age 12 to 17 reportedly used drugs and 74 percent of Illinois 10th graders said it would be easy to get alcohol if they wanted it. Two-thirds of these teenagers said it would be easy to get marijuana.
Certification expanding
The Red Ribbon Certified School Project aims to stop substance abuse problems before they start. The program, which started in Florida and is expanding around the country, was designed to build individual, school and community awareness regarding alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. It opens the doors of communication between students and teachers as well as between children and parents.
Three Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago were recognized this year: St. Monica Academy and St. Andrew School in Chicago and Pope John XXIII in Evanston.
Prevention excellence
What is different about Red Ribbon Certified Schools? First, they model prevention excellence and they demonstrate how parents can become partners to improve academic achievement and reduce high-risk behaviors of youth. Second, the schools offer regular in-service training for all personnel on prevention principles as they simultaneously create opportunities for young people to thrive.
Most importantly, they promote communication among parents, students, teachers and administration. They all understand that in order to fight drugs they need to have a coalition created not only by teachers and parents but also by the leaders in their community and local businesses.
The biggest advantage of the Red Ribbon School Project is that it goes to the homes of the students and insures that families are educated, so they recognize the symptoms of drug abuse, which may help to prevent the child from a life threatening addiction.
Schools who take the lead in pursuing red ribbon certification realize the connection between substance abuse, teen pregnancy, violence, truancy, school failure and drop outs.
Among the growing number of certified schools in the United States is Pope John XXIII Catholic School in Evanston.
“We believe that for a Catholic school, it’s important for students to value their own bodies and value their classmates and other people. You can’t do that if you abuse drugs and alcohol, or if you do not support other people,” said principal Rosalie Musiala. The school includes substance abuse prevention throughout the year in the regular curriculum.
“We include drug and alcohol education within our religious program and within our science program,” Musiala said. “It works for us because we are faith-based.”
John Percival, the principal of St. Andrew school in Chicago for the past 17 years, said, “ it is an honor to be a Red Ribbon School.”
The school has no record of any drug use by its students, said Percival. The Red Ribbon Project is only one of the drug prevention efforts at St. Andrew. “Think, Act and Rise Above,” created by parents and the faculty of the school is the other.
“Now we have a bigger challenge ahead of us, because we are recognized as a Red Ribbon School,” said Percival. One of the ways of facing that challenge is organizing a Red Ribbon Week at the school.
During that week, which is celebrated across the country in October, the school organizes many types of age-appropriate activities. Some days everyone dresses in red and other days there are school rallies or class discussions.
