Grand Avenue Elementary School Celebrates Red Ribbon Week

Uniondale Union Free School District’s Grand Avenue Elementary School recently participated in Red Ribbon Week, an annual celebration to advocate for the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and staying drug and alcohol-free. The national week-long celebration from October 23rd to the 31st included daily activities for scholars, faculty and administration. This year’s Red Ribbon Theme at Grand Avenue was “My Life is a Work of Art.”

To kick off Red Ribbon week, scholars and staff wore red and pledged to be ‘red-y’ to make healthy choices for their minds and bodies. Scholars designed red ribbons, which were displayed outside each classroom. Second-grade scholars researched Red Ribbon week and shared their findings with the school at the school-wide morning meeting. Scholars also participated in Got College Day, wearing bright clothes and sunglasses to show the District that their futures are ‘too bright for drugs.’ The week concluded with scholars and staff wearing their favorite jerseys to school. On this day, scholars celebrated the importance of living an active lifestyle and what it means to be part of “Team G.R.A.N.D”: Giving, Respecting ourselves, each other and the environment, Appreciating all and being thankful, Nice-because nice matters and Determined to show GRAND character at all times, even when no one is watching.

“The first step in drug prevention is education,” said Principal Juanita Bryant-Bell. “Throughout the year, we will continue to encourage our scholars to make healthy choices and always say no to drugs.”

In 1985 Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was killed in the line of duty. In honoring his legacy, friends and family wore red badges, quickly spreading into a nationwide coalition against drugs. In Camarena’s memory, the red ribbon is used to educate the youth about drug prevention.

For more information about the Uniondale Union Free School District, please visit the District's website at https://district.uniondaleschools.org, and 'like' our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/uniondalek12.