Ector County ISD kicked off Red Ribbon Week Monday in the parking lot of the administration building with the Odessa High School Color Guard, drumline and Showgirls. This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme is “Be Kind to Your Mind.”
Superintendent Scott Muri, Mayor Javier Joven, DEA Special Agent Darrick Bridger and officials from the Permian Basin Regional Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Red Ribbon Week runs through Oct. 31 and it is in response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.
Camarena was kidnapped and killed by drug traffickers, ECISD Police Chief Jeff Daniels said. Responding to his murder and the “horrible effects of drugs on our society, citizens in Camarena’s hometown of Calexico, Calif., began wearing red ribbons.
Daniels said the trend took hold throughout the country, and in 1988, Congress officially proclaimed the last week of October as Red Ribbon Week.
“Now every October, American children, parents and educators unite to take a stand for a drug free land,” Daniels said.
Muri said this is to make sure we don’t forget those negatively affected by drugs in the community.
Joven said the city is inundated with illicit drugs coming through the southern border, especially fentanyl. He added that the city has been able to obtain over $600,000 in grants to educate and support many organizations to “combat what is happening in our communities, especially among our youth.”
Joven then read a proclamation marking National Red Ribbon Week.
“… So throughout Odessa, throughout this community, we want to encourage each and every one of us — business, public, private agencies, media, religious and educational institutions, especially at our high schools — to join in the encouragement and support of this campaign …,” Joven said.
Muri noted that, as Joven said, education is the key to ensuring the community is aware of the dangers of drugs.
Mellessa Brennem, prevention coordinator of the Permian Regional Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, said this is the 12th year they have participated in the Red Ribbon kickoff with ECISD.
Brennem lauded the work ECISD does this week and throughout the year to keep substance use prevention at the forefront.
“Like the mayor said, fentanyl is something that we have to really tackle hard with our young people. We are losing young people daily across our community. I believe it’s one every 11 minutes in the United States. We lose a person to fentanyl poisoning. This week, we are going to see close to … 8,000-plus kids in the Permian Basin, one on one. We’re going to spend over 90 hours within schools, celebrating, having fun. As young as 3 years of age, they are celebrating Red Ribbon Week. What we strive to do within our prevention program is to encourage the adults, encourage the parents, encourage the educators to keep that message going all the time,” Brennem said.
She said they get backlash from parents about how it’s hard to get their child dressed up for the various theme days, “but don’t miss the opportunity to have the conversation.”
“That’s what this is about. Get involved, support your kids, and to you young people here, you high school aged students support each other. Y’all see it. Y’all see it firsthand on your social media. If you see something, please say something because you could save somebody’s life. That is the magnitude of where it is for you guys right now. We applaud all of you for being a positive parent over to your school and your community,” Brennem said.
She also announced a new team member named Tina, who is a white tiger. The Red Ribbon kickoff was Tina’s first community event.
Bridger said it’s important to get the word out “because we all know that drugs can be very deadly.”
“It’s affected me at work personally. Everyone here probably has known someone at one point or another that’s been affected. Again, education is the key,” Bridger said.
