by Darius Davila | Staff Writer
This week marks the start of an annual drug- free awareness program, sportingly called “Red Ribbon Week.” This year the administration has put up posters and images around school showing the after-effects of drinking and driving and drug abuse to encourage kids to stay drug-free.
“The images and posters were set up around school by PALs club members and myself, and they are there to discourage kids from making bad choices and really think about the consequences of their decisions,” STAN Counselor Carrie Elliot said.
Students have their own opinions of such anti-drug and alcohol images and posters.
“I think the school administration over-exaggerates a lot, because, in reality, prescription or legal drugs have killed more people than illegal ones have. I really don’t think they will be effective at all, because kids who do drugs aren’t going to stop just because of a poster or an image, so it’s a waste of time,” junior Ben Valdez said.
However, not all students are of a similar mind.
“I honestly think that these posters are very effective in encouraging kids to stay drug free, the posters really show what drugs and alcohol do, and I hope it will help kids realize that it is wrong and there can be serious consequences,” sophomore Travis Keast said.
Along with the posters around campus, the administration put a casket in the lower foyer covered with pictures of celebrities who have died from drug abuse to further encourage kids to stay drug-free.
“I know a lot of kids under the influence or who do drugs that go here, and I think Johnson sort of has a problem with alcohol and drugs, but I think the whole casket thing is a great idea because kids look up to celebrities,” Keast said. “They’re role models to students, and we want to do what we see them do.”
Whether or not these methods are effective is debatable, but the faculty is not giving up hope.
“I don’t know if the posters or casket will be very effective but even if it helps one person make a good decision it’s worth it”, Elliot said, “There are still a lot of kids that I know making bad decisions but I’m not giving up hope yet”.
