{"id":78987,"date":"2025-12-03T08:00:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/?p=78987"},"modified":"2025-12-19T09:54:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T14:54:16","slug":"4-ways-to-highlight-red-ribbon-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/2025\/12\/03\/4-ways-to-highlight-red-ribbon-week\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways to Highlight Red Ribbon Week at Your School"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Every October, schools across the country come together for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redribbon.org\/\">Red Ribbon Week<\/a>, the largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign in the United States. It\u2019s more than just wearing red ribbons; it\u2019s a powerful opportunity to have honest conversations with students about making healthy, drug-free choices while building school pride and community.<\/p>\n<p>The statistics are sobering: According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/research-topics\/trends-statistics\/monitoring-future\">2023 Monitoring the Future survey<\/a>, 8th graders\u2019 past-year use of illicit drugs is on the rise again after years of decline. But here\u2019s what we can control: the culture we create on our campuses every single day.<\/p>\n<p>As someone who has provided keynote assemblies for Red Ribbon Week and drug prevention across the country, CoolSpeaker <a href=\"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/youth-motivational-speakers\/zach-gowen\/\">Zach Gowen<\/a> has overcome enormous personal adversity, including addiction. Zach knows firsthand how crucial it is to give young people tools, hope, and a supportive village before they ever face tough decisions. Red Ribbon Week isn\u2019t about instilling fear in students; it is about empowerment, confidence, and showing your school they\u2019re capable of writing their own story.<\/p>\n<p>When we make Red Ribbon Week fun, meaningful, and student-led, we send an unmistakable message: being drug-free is the strongest, bravest, and coolest choice a young person can make.<\/p>\n<p>After experiencing different schools\u2019 strategies to engage students around drug prevention in meaningful ways, here are 4 of the most memorable ways to take your Red Ribbon Week from ordinary to unforgettable:<\/p>\n<h3>Theme It Up &amp; Dress It Out<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Why It Matters:<\/strong> A creative daily theme turns the entire week into a school-wide celebration instead of just another announcement students talk over.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Action Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Pick a catchy overarching theme (examples: \u201cLife is Your Journey\u2014Travel Drug Free!\u201d or \u201cYour Future is Key\u2014Be Drug Free!\u201d).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Plan spirit days that kids actually want to participate in: \u201cWear Red Day,\u201d \u201cTeam Up Against Drugs\u201d (jersey day), \u201cShade Out Drugs\u201d (sunglasses day), \u201cSock It to Drugs\u201d (crazy socks), and \u201cHats Off to Being Drug-Free (hats).\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> End with a school-wide photo forming a giant red ribbon or the word \u201cDRUG FREE.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Make the Red Ribbon Week Pledge Loud and Proud<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Why It Matters:<\/strong> When students publicly commit to being drug-free, research shows they\u2019re far more likely to stick to it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Action Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Create an oversized pledge banner in the main hallway for students and staff to sign throughout the week.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Host a short, high-energy morning assembly or live-streamed pledge led by student leaders, athletes, or even local first responders.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Give every student who signs a silicone red wristband or dog tag, or shoelace charm. Make it cool, and they will wear it (and talk about it) long after the week is over.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Turn Students Into the Red Ribbon Week Messengers<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Why It Matters:<\/strong> Messages about healthy choices hit harder when they come from peers, not just adults.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Action Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Form a Red Ribbon Leadership Crew (open to all grades) that plans activities, morning announcements, and social media posts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Run a door-decorating or poster contest with the theme \u201cMy Reasons to Be Drug Free.\u201d Winning designs get displayed (and photographed for the yearbook).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Have students create 15-30 second TikTok\/Reel videos saying why they choose drug-free that can be posted on the school or district social media accounts. Remember to tag @RedRibbonWeek for extra visibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Bring in a Real Voice (Yes, Mine!)<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Why It Matters:<\/strong> A powerful speaker turns awareness into inspiration and gives students a living example that no matter what life throws at you, your choices define your future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Action Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Book an upbeat, authentic Red Ribbon Week assembly with a youth speaker who connects (someone like myself or another member of <a href=\"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/\">CoolSpeak<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Combine the talk with a teacher\/staff wellness component because we can\u2019t pour from an empty cup.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Follow up with small-group \u201cLunch &amp; Learn\u201d sessions so kids can ask questions in a safe space. This can be groups of students who need it the most or student leaders working to make sustainable change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Red Ribbon Week isn\u2019t just one week on the calendar; I believe it is a chance to build a culture where every student knows they matter, they\u2019re supported, and they have the power to choose a healthy future. When we make it loud, proud, and student-driven, the message sticks all year long.<\/p>\n<p>CoolSpeak and <a href=\"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/youth-motivational-speakers\/zach-gowen\/\">Zach Gowen<\/a> are here to help you make this your school\u2019s best Red Ribbon Week yet. Let\u2019s bring an unforgettable assembly or workshop to your campus that inspires students to own their story and equips your staff with the resilience to keep showing up strong.<\/p>\n<p>Bring this energy to your community because a drug-free life is the ultimate flex, and every kid deserves to know it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every October, schools across the country come together for Red Ribbon Week, the largest and longest-running drug prevention campaign in the United States. It\u2019s more than just wearing red ribbons; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":78988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[117,112,68],"tags":[],"formats":[],"class_list":["post-78987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-programming","category-student-leadership","category-students"],"dsm_author":{"name":"Zach Gowen","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5693561fe520e5ee6cbae95ab119ad017ceef4dfbd586b58daa9b7dcfa8f1ba0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","archive_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/author\/zgowen\/","biodata":"<em>Inspirational Athlete &amp; Wellness Hero<\/em>  Zach Gowen is a CoolSpeak motivational speaker and the world\u2019s first amputee WWE Superstar who uses his powerful story of resilience to inspire lasting impact. He empowers educators and students alike with a message of resilience, mindset, and service\u2014reminding us all that it\u2019s how we climb that defines us."},"dsm_categories":[{"term_name":"Programming","term_id":117,"term_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/category\/programming\/"},{"term_name":"Student Leadership","term_id":112,"term_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/category\/student-leadership\/"},{"term_name":"Students","term_id":68,"term_link":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/category\/students\/"}],"dsm_attachment_categories":[],"dsm_featured_image":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-150x150.png","medium":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-300x105.png","medium_large":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-768x269.png","large":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-1024x358.png","1536x1536":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-1536x538.png","2048x2048":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders.png","et-pb-post-main-image":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-400x250.png","et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-1080x630.png","et-pb-portfolio-image":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-400x284.png","et-pb-portfolio-module-image":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-510x382.png","et-pb-portfolio-image-single":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-1080x378.png","et-pb-gallery-module-image-portrait":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-400x516.png","et-pb-post-main-image-fullwidth-large":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders.png","et-pb-image--responsive--desktop":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-1280x448.png","et-pb-image--responsive--tablet":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-980x343.png","et-pb-image--responsive--phone":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-480x168.png","gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders.png","gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders.png","gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders.png","woocommerce_thumbnail":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-300x105.png","woocommerce_single":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-600x210.png","woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders-100x100.png","full":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Zach-Student-Leaders.png"},"dsm_comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78987"},{"taxonomy":"post_format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fxv.digital\/cool\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/formats?post=78987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}