The Alaska National Guard joined forces with Klatt Elementary School to spread Red Ribbon Week awareness, saying no to drugs and tobacco. During this initiative, the longest-running drug and violence prevention program in the US, students learned about a healthy, drug-free life.
Master Sgt. Elijah Gutierrez, part of the program, emphasized the importance of early conversations about healthy choices. “We are planning seeds for making healthy choices and living healthy,” Gutierrez said. The assembly featured representatives from the American Lung Association, Drug Enforcement Administration, Anchorage Police Department, and Alaska Troopers.
Klatt Elementary principal Kelsy Deiman-Szymanski highlighted the significance of Red Ribbon Week. “we’re teaching students to live drug-free and make healthy choices,” Deiman-Szymanski said. “They need skills to stand up for themselves.” Throughout the week, students participated in activities and decorated the school with a “Life is a movie, film drug-free” theme.
The assembly included an interactive presentation, during which students saw the difference between healthy lungs and smokers’ lungs. Deiman-Szymanski appreciated the community’s involvement, saying, “Kids must hear the message from multiple avenues.” The event culminated with a surprise helicopter flyover and landing, courtesy of the Alaska National Guard.
Students were thrilled, with 5th-grader Benjamin Recinos-Caldera exclaiming, “It was really fun! I’ve never seen a real helicopter up close.” Classmate Camrynn Rogers echoed the sentiment, adding, “We need to stomp out bullying and be kind to others,” Rogers emphasized the importance of Red Ribbon Week, saying, “If we didn’t have it, maybe there would be a lot of bullying, people could get hurt.”
Red Ribbon Week awareness made a lasting impact on Klatt Elementary students. Gutierrez reinforced the message, “Making healthy choices now leads to better improvements down the road.”
This news story was originally published by Alaska’s News Source.
