OHS PE and Health Department, Positive Change Ambassadors, Interact Club, and SCA-Leadership collaborated to support Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon brings awareness to substance abuse. On Wednesday, Oct. 25, the Manassas Police Department and OHS invited parents and families to be part of the E9 Series covering substance abuse awareness. The event offered dinner, live translation services for Spanish speakers, community resources, and a Q & A session with experts where parents were able to find answers and tips to best support their kids. Parents and adults were invited to sign the pledge to support their children against drugs and wear the red ribbon.

“I was so thankful to take part in the E3 Series on Substance Abuse and to join in the conversations about this growing issue.  The speaker from the FBI had quality information about how we can help the substance abuse problems facing young people, and the experts in the Q and A session had great insights to share with students and parents,” said Ms. Ruth Lindenfelser, the Health and PE teacher who took the lead on this important initiative.

Osbourn students worked hard to show their peers the benefits of living a drug-free life.

“This is a big endorsement against drugs. We are trying to bring awareness to the school. If you sign a form to pledge to be drug-free, you could win a Chick-fil-A gift card,” explained senior Claudia Flores.

“Being drug-free is a great thing because it keeps you healthy. If you sign the pledge, it shows that you respect yourself,” added Nathan Shoemaker.

The Red Ribbon Campaign is an ideal way for people to unite and take a stand against drugs. The Red Ribbon week takes place each year from October 23rd to the 31st. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a  visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America. Lots of schools across the country take part in red ribbon week. It all started in 1985 when Enrique Camarena, a DEA agent was murdered due to his work with the cartel, but it’s more about raising awareness for drugs and the effects of drugs. Friends, family and communities started to wear red ribbons in honor of Enrique’s death.

Drugs are substances that change a person’s mental or physical state. They can affect the way your brain works, how you feel and how you behave. This makes them unpredictable and dangerous, especially for young people. As a young person, your brain is still growing and wont fully be formed till your mid-20s. People do drugs because they are curious and want to see what happens. Another reason why people do drugs is because they want to fit in or they are being peer pressured to do them. People also do drugs as a coping mechanism such as “easing the pain”. Drugs don’t just take a toll on your body and health, They affect you mentally, your relationships, and your social life.

“People can trick you and you think it’s safe but it’s really not, and in a blink of an eye it’s too late” said Ms. Ruth Lindenfelser, the health, PE, and driver education teacher. It’s important to say no to drugs. They could put you in a dark place and mess up your life. Using drugs as a coping mechanism is not the way. There are better resources out there like talking to a trusted adult, friend or getting help from a therapist.

Osbourn held a drug-free pledge during lunch. Students signed the pledge and got a ribbon in return, they also got entered to win a $25 Chick-fil-a gift card. “This is a big endorsement against drugs. We are trying to bring awareness to the school. If you sign a form to pledge to be drug-free, you could win a Chick-fil-A gift card,” explained senior Claudia Flores. We had 564 students sign the pledge.

On Wednesday October 25, The school held an after school event. There was free dinner, community resources, and information about substance abuse. “I was so thankful to take part in the E3 Series on Substance Abuse and to join in the conversations about this growing issue.  The speaker from the FBI had quality information about how we can help the substance abuse problems facing young people, and the experts in the Q and A session had great insights to share with students and parents,” said Ms. Ruth Lindenfelser. The parents were also able to sign a pledge about setting rules and boundaries, and encouraging their kids to be drug free. Over 60+ attendees signed the adult pledge.

If you are experiencing trouble with drugs, don’t be afraid to speak up and get help.