Red Ribbon Week
2011 Red Ribbon Poster Challenge

“Educating our students and children about the physical and social dangers of drug use is critical, and the entire community plays an important role in this effort,” said Congressman Reyes. “This year, observe Red Ribbon Week by taking time to talk to a friend, neighbor, or child, about the devastating effects of drug use and encourage any student you know to participate in the Red Ribbon Week Poster Challenge and to ‘say no to drugs, say yes to life'.”

The 2011 Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest contest allowed El Paso students from grades K through 12 to participate by submitting posters incorporating the theme “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life.”  156 students from 47 area schools participated in the contest.  Three winning posters from each category were chosen based on creativity, artistic expression, efforts, and student’s ability to incorporate this year’s theme.  The winning posters are as follows:

Elementary School

thumbnail
1st Place
Yari Castro
“Use Your Head”
5th Grade
Immanuel Christian School

thumbnail
 2nd Place
Yesenia Webb
“Free To Be Me”
1st Grade
St. Piux X School

thumbnail
3rd Place
Jonathan Lopez
“Say No To Drugs, Say Yes To Life”
5th Grade
O’Donnell Elementary School

Middle School

thumbnail
1st Place
Jose Galarza
“Remembering Kiki”
8th Grade
Ysleta Middle School

thumbnail
2nd Place
Andrea Castaneda
“Say No To Drugs, Say Yes To Life”
8th Grade
Faith Christian Academy

thumbnail
3rd Place
Ashley Mercado
“The Future”
6th Grade
Edgemere Elementary School

High School

thumbnail
1st Place
Christian Caballero
“Lost Brain Cells”
11th Grade
Parkland High School

thumbnail
2nd Place
Christian Rodriguez
“Let Your Light Shine”
10th Grade
Hanks High School

thumbnail
3rd Place
Nicole Luna
“Texas Say No To Drugs”
10th Grade
Hanks High School

"This contest is an excellent way for students to creatively showcase the importance of saying no to drugs, saying yes to life,” said Congressman Reyes.  “I congratulate all of our poster winners and all of the students who participated in the 2011 Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest.”

Judges for this year’s contest were DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mark Payne, DEA Special Agent Diana Apodaca, Sergeant Lewis Roe from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant Ruben Guzman from the El Paso Police Department, and Jesus Solorzano from U.S. Marshals.

Congressman Reyes will present each student who participated with an congressional award certificate at a recognition ceremony that will take place on November 5th at 1:00 p.m. at Downtown’s El Paso Public Library.

To view poster entries from this year’s contest, visit Congressman Reyes’ Flickr page by clicking here.

Background:


From October 23– 31, Americans will celebrate Red Ribbon Week, a nine-day commemoration of the life of DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.  Agent Camarena was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by drug dealers 26 years ago in Mexico.  The El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), located on Fort Bliss and operated by DEA, was dedicated to the memory of Agent Camarena.

Red Ribbon Week is dedicated to help preserve Special Agent Camarena’s memory and further the cause for which he gave his life: the fight against drug violence and drug addiction.  By gathering together in special events and wearing a red ribbon during the last week in October, Americans from all walks of life demonstrate their opposition to drugs.  Approximately 80 million people participate in Red Ribbon events each year.

In an effort to engage El Paso area students in this nationwide initiative, Congressman Reyes invited every elementary, middle, and high school student to participate in the 2011 El Paso Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest.  A total of 156 students from 47 area schools participated in this year's contest.