GARFIELD — Students at Garfield Elementary School learned to be “Paws-itively” drug free, Kristi Brown, school counselor, said.
The kindergarten through fifth-graders had a variety of activities throughout Red Ribbon Week Oct. 24-28 with the culmination being a parade around the block Friday afternoon.
“We’ve had dress up days each day,” Brown said, explaining that the children wore red one day, bootsanother to “give drugs the boot,” hats or caps another day to “put a cap on drugs,” and their favorite - camouflage to “Be All you Can Be” - a take-off on the U.S.
Army’s slogan.
“All month classroom guidance time has centered on drug prevention,” Brown said, adding: “We’ve talked about healthy choices, being aware of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. We want them to have the awareness to make positive and healthy choices.”
The parade was designed as fun for the students, but also “to show the community that the Garfield students are celebrating Red Ribbon Week as well as choosing to be ‘pawsitively’ drug free,” Brown said, explaining that as the Hound Dogs, the Garfield students are capitalizing on the “paws” theme.
Personnel from the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department for Northeast Benton County volunteered to block traffic for the students to safely cross the highway, Brown said, and the children are allowed to carry their stuffed animals with paws.
School, Pages 13 on 11/02/2011