Get Out Your Sharpies...It's Red Ribbon Week Poster Time

The Belmont Police Department invites all K-8 students in Belmont and Redwood Shores schools to participate in the 2012 Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest. Red Ribbon is Oct. 22-26. During that week Belmont Police Officers will be conducting drug and violence prevention activities at both public and private K-8 schools.

Theme: "The Best Me is Drug Free"

The goal of the contests is to symbolize the importance of living an alcohol, drug and violent free healthy lifestyle.  Entries will be divided into separate groups based on grade level and there will be one winner from each group. Posters will be judged on art work reflecting the theme, creativity, effort, and grammar.  The theme of this year’s contest is “The Best Me Is Drug Free”.  Examples of posters can be a drawing, painting, poem, or collage. 

Entries must be delivered to the front office of the student’s school or at the Belmont Police Department, 1 Twin Pines Lane, Belmont, by 4 pm on Thur., Oct. 18.

Student winners will be honored at the Belmont City Council meeting on Oct. 23.  Winners will be invited to a pizza party following the ceremony, and winning art work will be displayed inside Belmont City Hall along with a Red Ribbon Week recognition plaque.

“We want to encourage our youth to adopt health life styles and this includes avoiding becoming involved with drug and violence” said Belmont Police Chief Dan DeSmidt.  “I invite every K-8 student to participate in this event. Show how you are making the right choice to be drug free” DeSmidt added.

Now in its 27th year, Red Ribbon Week is the largest and oldest drug prevention campaign, reaching 80 million people nationwide.  The National Family Partnership (NFP) created the campaign in response to the 1985 death of DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who was abducted and murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico.

Students can get a copy of the contest rules and a poster form, at their school office or by going to the Police Department homepage on the City of Belmont website at www.belmont.gov.