Spencer Family Wins the National 2016 Red Ribbon Photo Contest

Williamsburg, VA (Dec. 2, 2016) – ‘Tis the season for giving! Marissa Spencer of Williamsburg, Virginia has won the National Red Ribbon Photo Contest. The contest takes place as a part of National Red Ribbon Week ® – the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention campaign, sponsored by the National Family Partnership (NFP). During the month of October, Marissa Spencer worked with her family to decorate her front door with this year’s theme, “YOLO. Be Drug Free™.” All this was done to promote her commitment to living a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. Spencer earned $1,000 for her school, Abingdon Elementary School, and an iPad for her family.

“I loved being creative with the decoration and sharing the message online,” said Kindergarten Teacher Marissa Spencer. “People who walked by my home saw the message, but I reached many more people by spreading the message on social media. The school helped spread the word because drug prevention is really important to the school. Everyone was behind it and it’s great because now the school has money to help further the cause.”

Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 after the abduction and murder of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. The first ever National Red Ribbon Week was organized by the National Family Partnership in 1988. NFP continues to sponsor the campaign for families, schools and communities across the nation each year. Since its inception, the campaign has touched millions of lives to promote and celebrate drug free living.

“An estimated 80 million people celebrate Red Ribbon Week each year,” says NFP President Peggy Sapp. “We designed the contest to involve families, schools, and communities in delivering the drug prevention message to children while promoting a healthy and drug-free lifestyle. We are so impressed by the winners and their wonderful stories about spreading the Red Ribbon message in their homes, schools and communities.”

Nationally, the contest named 20 winners – ten home entries and ten school entries in various regions throughout the nation. The money earned for winning the contest will go to support the school’s drug education and prevention programs, thanks to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the contest’s co-sponsors. Close to 100,000 votes were cast in support of the more than 400 contest entries.

“Congratulations to all of the Red Ribbon Photo Contest participants,” said Acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg. “This is a great way to spread the prevention message and educate students and families about drug abuse.”

See all 2016 winning photos at www.redribbon.org/contest/winners.

To learn more about Red Ribbon Week and the contest, visit www.RedRibbon.org.

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THE NATIONAL FAMILY PARTNERSHIP (NFP) was established in 1980 and is a national leader in drug prevention, education and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign. NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Learn more about the National Family Partnership at www.nfp.org.