The Meaning of Red Ribbon Week
Red Ribbon Week: How Did it Start?
How
did Red Ribbon Week start? It started with a true life story about a
federal agent named Kiki Camarena. He had a passion to end substance
abuse and crime in the USA. Read his story here. The questions at the end of the story will help you have good discussions with your children.
The Meaning of Red Ribbon Week
When Kiki Camarena was young, he decided to join the
Marines. After serving his country as a
Marine, he joined the police force. His
career brought him further when he next joined the Drug Enforcement Agency as
an agent for the government of the United States. He felt this was the best thing to do because
he truly cared about helping people and stopping drugs. His mother was very concerned about Kiki’s
career path and the dangers of his job.
She tried to talk him out of it.
Kiki told his mother that in his heart he could not quit his work. He said, “I’m only one person, but I want to
make a difference.”
In
1985, the DEA sent Kiki to work undercover in Mexico. For weeks he lived among the drug cartel and
gathered information and evidence. He
was ready to wrap up his assignment when the drug dealers figured out what he
was up to. They discovered his
identity. He was kidnapped and tortured
to death.
People
that knew Kiki felt sorrow when they learned of his death. To honor his memory, friends and neighbors
wore red badges of satin. They wanted to
continue Kiki’s work against illegal drugs.
Parents who worked together in local coalitions to fight against the
drug problem made Kiki their model. They
embraced his belief that one person could make a difference. They adopted the symbol of the red ribbon as
their own.
From
this grass roots beginning grew Red Ribbon Week. This is held the last week of October
nationwide. In Jacksonville, Florida we
campaign against drugs and work hard to warn children and students in school
about the dangers and effects of drug use.
When you see red ribbons around Jacksonville and our country, we hope
you will remember the story of Kiki and others like him who work hard to “Say
No to Drugs.”
By Grace Wilhelm
- What is the DEA?
- How and why was Kiki murdered?
- What did Kiki tell his mother about why he wanted to work against drugs?
- What does working undercover mean in the second paragraph?
- What does the phrase “wrap up his assignment” mean in the second paragraph?
- Write two sentences to describe the career path of Kiki Camarena. Tell what jobs he held after high school and why he chose those jobs.
- What is a coalition? (in the third paragraph)
- What will you now think of when you see a red ribbon?
- Do you think it is important to say “no” to drugs? Tell why or why not.
- Where is Mexico?
- What are some ill effects of drugs on your body?
