ELA-8 Red Ribbon Week: 'A Healthy Me is Drug Free'

It's Red Ribbon Week in the ELA-8 program and our motto this year is “A Healthy Me is Drug Free."  

It's time for us to talk to our children about how to make healthy choice daily, how to deal with stress and peer pressure, and how to say no to alcohol and drugs. Research says that it is never too early to talk to our children about these topics. Kids need to make these decisions early and know how to deal with these tough situations before they are faced with them on their own.

Are you unsure of what to say or how to bring these topics up with your child? Well, look no further. Below are some great resources!

• Kidshealth.org is a great website for parents, teens, and kids. It is full of good information on tons of important topics. You can read different articles to get your juices flowing on what to say. 
• Teens need facts. Check out The Effects of Alcohol on the Teen Brain and A Parent's Guide to the Teen Brain.

This week at flagpole, I am talking to students about their health and the choices they make daily. I am using the health triangle as a springboard for conversation (the health triangle addresses physical, mental and emotional, as well as, social health). Each day, I will challenge students to do something for their health. I am also going into classrooms and discussing in advisory the importance making healthy choices.

We encourage you to have conversations with your children that correspond with the things we are discussing at school. Below are the topics for each day: 

• Monday = Eat healthy; include 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetable each day this week. 
• Tuesday = Learn something new. Students should make a list of things they want to learn to do and start learning and checking them off. 
• Wednesday = Wear Red Day. Students will be given red bands to wear and remind them to make healthy choices everyday.
• Thursday = Bring a water bottle to school. Students will be asked to walk at break for 5 minutes and drink 6 glasses of water each day.
• Friday = Find someone in need and help them out. Students may want to hold the door open for someone, say "hello" and smile to classmates in the hall, or help someone in class. The possibilities are endless!

On Wednesday, we will have a Tiger Day and ask that all children wear red shirts and jeans in support of this special week. Let’s all support our children in living healthy lives that are drug free!