Press Releases

Media Advisory
Friday, October 2005

For more information contact:
Monica Whitfield Brase
Spring Mill Elementary
317.294.6737

Erica Petty
Fairbanks
317.572.9354

INDIANAPOLIS -- Students at Spring Mill Elementary School will spend their week hearing messages about why they should stay away from drugs and what they can accomplish if they do. As a part of the week's activities, they will build a "wall of dreams" expressing their goals and raise money for a high school for students recovering from alcohol and drug addictions.

"We want the kids to see tangible results of their week's activities as a reminder of what they can accomplish if they remain drug free, and we want to participate in an activity that will benefit other kids," said Katy Miller, Red Ribbon Week Chairwoman. "Helping Fairbanks with their school for recovering high schoolers is a perfect fit."

The "Wall of Dreams" will be constructed throughout the day on Thursday. Students will be asked what dreams they have and each student will write his or her answer on a construction-paper brick. All the bricks will be used to construct the wall.

The week-long fundraiser will benefit Recovery High School at Fairbanks. Each classroom will have a red gallon-jug container where students, teachers, visitors and others can donate money. Recovery High School will be operated by Fairbanks, a chemical dependency treatment facility, and is scheduled to open in August 2006.

"The Recovery High School is designed to provide a supportive community for students who want to maintain their sobriety throughout their lifetime," said Erica Petty, Fairbanks' Communications Coordinator. "We appreciate this fundraiser for the school, and particularly the spirit in which it is conducted, very much."

According to Petty, Red Ribbon Week activities like those at Spring Mill may not, alone, seem overtly effective in fighting the lure of drug use, but when they are a part of a long series of messages about the negative affects of drug and alcohol use, they are very powerful.

"It’s marketing 101 - you find a message and you repeat it," said Petty. "Maybe the style of the message changes, but the message itself remains the same. In this case, the message is, 'drugs are bad.' Obviously the style must change to fit the age group, but the message is simple, and this is where it all starts."

Activities for the week also include:

Monday - Each child will receive and color a "Color My World Drug Free" bookmark.

Tuesday - Red sock day - kids are encouraged to wear red socks to school.

Wednesday - Each child will receive and decorate a "Color My World Drug Free" white self-adhesive ribbon.

Thursday - All students will be involved in building a "Wall of Dreams - Drug Free" brick wall.

Friday - "Drugs Don't Make Cents" - each classroom will have a gallon jug decorated with red construction paper that will be used to collect donations throughout the week. The money will be donated to Fairbanks Hospital for its high school for students with drug and alcohol addictions.

The theme for this year’s Red Ribbon Week is "Color My World Drug-Free."