Red Ribbon Week is an annual celebration that commemorates the life of the late DEA agent Enrique "kiki" Camareno.
Schools nationwide have special events and activities to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs and to encourage kids to choose a drug-free lifestyle.
If you don't know the history I encourage you to type Red Ribbon Week into a Google search.
In short the week commemorates all those who have lost their lives in the drug war.
The celebration was inspired Congressman Duncan Hunter after special agent Enrique "kiki" Camareno was brutally murdered by the Mexican cartel he was investigating undercover.
His death became a symbol of the tragedy of the drug war and our commitment to taking a stand against drugs.
Many schools earmark each day of Red Ribbon Week with a different theme.
Some of these include Decoration Day, Pledge Day, Sports Day and more.
Each day includes wearing Red Ribbons and having special activities to build awareness.
Look for web sites on Google that can assist you in building a week activity schedule.
One of the best ways to make your celebration unforgettable is to invite a professional speaker or performer to your school for a special school assembly.
I highly recommend bringing a really fun and "cool" assembly as this will be the event of the week and will bring excitement and energy to your program.
The assembly should focus on the message of the week, but should also be light and fun.
Throughout the week the kids will be involved in all the technical and informational activities.
Your special assembly should be inspirational, exciting and provide the energy to help the kids aspire to be drug-free.
Above all, avoid booking a boring assembly program, as your students will attach Red Ribbon Week with negative feelings.
If you book an exciting unique program, they will look forward to the week of fun, learning and activities each year.
I recommend finding a great Red Ribbon Week School Assembly with LIVE sports action.
There are basketball dunk squads, BMX Stunt Shows, Tumblers and other pro athletes who can deliver the excitement and powerful messages perfect for Red Ribbon Week.
More importantly, the kids look up to these amazing athletes and respect what they have to say.
With a pro sports assembly you will make your Red Ribbon Week unforgettable and exciting while delivering the message in a unique way that can reach even the most at-risk youth.
But Red Ribbon Week is the most popular week of the year for school assemblies so you MUST book your special event assembly early.
I encourage you to find your assembly in the spring as many of the best assemblies book up quickly, especially considering only 10-15 schools will get on the coveted Red Ribbon Week schedule.
You can always have your assembly the week before or after to open or close the Red Ribbon Week celebration, but it is optimum to have your special event during the actual week.
I encourage you to do the research and build a great program for your school.
Not only will your kids look forward to this week each year, but you may also be instrumental in helping them make good choices that can last a lifetime.