2014 NATIONAL RED RIBBON PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS

“This contest brought even more awareness to Red Ribbon Week and it lasted for a longer period of time. If it can prevent one person from using drugs and alcohol and make a positive impact on their life, then it was all worth it. Everyone took part in the contest. It was truly a team effort. We live in a wonderful community.”
Amy Randle, Teacher

“I’ve been a principal for seven years and a big part of the job is concern for my students’ health and well-being. We must encourage our students to make good decisions daily. That’s why we invest so much in prevention efforts. We are thrilled to be able to use the $1,000 prize to continue to promote this important message.”
Dean Eckert, Principal

“Red Ribbon Week is important to me because the more you talk to your children and the more involved they are with positive projects like this, the less likely they are to venture out into the world of trial and error. My hope is to fill my kids with so much knowledge on the effects of drugs that they can be positive role models for their friends and make smart choices as they get older.”
Denise Roberts, Mother

“What I liked most about the contest was seeing students take initiative for their own well-being and the well-being of others. Red Ribbon Week is a wonderful focal point for discussion and education. The more education we give students at a younger age, the more time they have to develop an awareness and knowledge.”
Nancy Angelini, Principal

“‘Love Yourself. Be Drug Free.’ means respecting and loving yourself enough to not get into a life that involves using drugs. I love Red Ribbon Week because it’s an opportunity for our whole school district to get together and present a unified message in a positive way.”
Taylor Mosher, Student, 17 years old

“What I liked most about the Red Ribbon Photo Contest is that it not only brought awareness to our students but to the community. Drug awareness is an important weapon in the fight against addiction. Red Ribbon Week is so essential because it allows the community to participate in activities that promote healthy living for our youth and community.”
Dr. Larry Washington, Principal

“While decorating our door together, I had the opportunity to talk to my kids about a serious topic in a relaxed, casual setting, in a non-confrontational way. We discussed school dances and other topics, as well as what to do if anyone offers them drugs or alcohol. My children are older so they’ll be faced with these difficult decisions soon. I want them to be educated and prepared.”
Kerri Kubasky, Mother

“In today’s society, children are exposed to so much more than we were growing up. The pressure from their peers is much stronger. Here in Western Pennsylvania, we have a big Heroin problem. We’ve been seeing lots of overdoses. To win this contest and use the money for prevention programs for our kids will be very beneficial.”
Lance Benteler, Principal

“I truly believe that the Red Ribbon Week Campaign is very important. It amazes me what children, even kindergarteners, already know about drugs. It is a scary world out there and anything we, as adults, parents and teachers can do to keep our children from using alcohol and drugs is worth the effort. For us, it’s really a year-round effort, not just one week.”
Jennifer “Nurse JJ” Paquin, Mother and School Nurse

“Part of our job in educating students is educating them to understand the importance of staying drug free so they can be successful citizens. If we don’t, who will? It’s the responsibility of every individual in a child’s life. The $1,000 prize for our school will help us do even more to educate the students and we are really excited about that.”
Robyn Caldwell, Principal

“Red Ribbon Week and this contest are great opportunities to educate our children and raise awareness about the importance of being healthy and drug free. The best part of this competition is always bringing families together at St. Eugene School to spread an important message to our children about drug prevention.”
Diane Fergus, Mother

“Children are under much more pressure now than they used to be. The use of drugs can become an escape unless they are given opportunities to channel their energy and time elsewhere. Red Ribbon Week allows our school to truly concentrate on educating the students. We work as a community to engage them in thinking of other options than using drugs. We use peer pressure in a positive way.”
Jane Kusinski, Assistant Principal

“I just loved seeing Kendall’s joy and excitement during the competition. To spread the word about our entry, Kendall shared information with her teacher, who shared with principal, who sent a newsletter to the whole school. They really rallied behind her. It also made an impact on the neighbors, who adored the idea of the contest and the decorations – and supported us by voting.”
Kristin Remerow, Mother

“All the promise that children have – if we just encourage that and mold that early on then they can be great leaders. This contest is a venue and a way for them to express themselves and share a positive message. Kids learn messages best in their peer group, so when peers talk about making good choices, it rubs off on one another.”
Mary Jane Smith, Principal

“I was so surprised to learn we won again. We participated in the contest last year as a way to have family time. It’s now evolved into our wonderful town rallying behind us in support of this drug-free message. The contest has also helped me discuss this topic with my kids.”
Megan Clark, Mother

“These children are our future and we want them to be prepared for anything they face. Red Ribbon Week brings awareness to the community by focusing on being drug free and making good choices. We’re very proud of our school and the family members within our community who worked together to make this happen.”
Deanna Hutchings, Principal

“The contest really gave us an optimal time to talk about drugs to our kids. Since they were hearing about it at school and then decorating our home, it just made sense to have that conversation. The contest also helped us spread a positive message in our community and beyond. A lot of people from neighboring towns drive past our house on the way to work and they loved the message.”
Staci Larson, Mother

“Red Ribbon Week helps our teachers segue into discussions about drugs at school. We can bring this up in the best way to combat the dangers of substance abuse. This contest was great for our community and school. It opened the doors for a lot of positive conversations and dialogue.”
Patrick Beeman, Principal

“This contest helped me talk to my children about drugs. My son and daughter are young, they didn’t know about drugs but this opened the door for a friendly conversation. It was also good to spread the word about the topic during Halloween because more people paid attention to it. Neighbors asked us about our decorations and we talked to them about it.”
Shereen Elyas, Mother

“I think Red Ribbon Week and this contest are so important because drugs have become not only a concern among individuals, but a concern in our community and country. One of the ways to keep our students drug free is to help them understand the ramifications of making poor choices. Drugs destroy lives and take away opportunities.”
Dr. Isel Taylor, Principal

“Talking about drugs with your children can be a difficult conversation. Having Red Ribbon Week put these lessons in the context of a competition helped open that door and helped the children be engaged, interested and invested in the conversation. But, the contest also helped spread the message beyond our family. During Halloween, we had our entry on the door and as Trick-or-Treaters came to the door, I could hear them reading the message aloud and talking about what it meant.”
Alison Benninger, Mother

“I loved that the contest opened up dialogue among our students about drug awareness and being drug free. I especially enjoyed that the theme of the contest, ‘Love Yourself. Be Drug Free,’ emphasized the value of self- worth. We are so very proud of Jack and his dedication and creativity!”
Kathy Hart, Principal

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