Red Ribbon Week 2020 took place October 23rd through the 31st. PATH (Partnership in Action for Trinity Health) members sponsored a poster contest and brought drug, alcohol, and tobacco prevention lessons into local middle-school classrooms throughout Trinity County. PATH member and Teen Challenge advocate, Irl Everest, contributed a recently created inspirational video to the school presentations. Featured in the video is a local woman who had attended Douglas City School and THS. Her heartfelt testimonial made a huge impact on the student viewers. The video is a cautionary tale warning students to protect their bodies, minds, and hearts from the ravaging effects of drug, tobacco, and alcohol abuse.
PATH Coalition members had the difficult job of selecting just 7 winners out of the 28 posters submitted by three schools including Trinity Preparatory Academy, Junction City School and Hoaglin-Zenia School. "This is hard!" was the agreed upon sentiment of the 6 judges tasked with choosing the winners. But choose, they did and PATH plans to bring back the contest next year. "We hope to have submissions from all the schools next year" said Ann Hill, who directs the Tobacco Use Prevention Education program for Trinity County schools. "Covid-19 made it challenging for all the schools to participate this year. We will give them another opportunity next fall."
When Trinity Preparatory Academy student Gracie Ragan was asked how it felt to win 1st place and a one-hundred-dollar Amazon gift card in PATH's Red Ribbon poster contest this fall, she proudly responded with one word, "Accomplished!" Although she holds the title of 1st place, there are six additional winners to recognize as well. The two 2nd place winners of $50 Amazon cards are 7th graders Aleah Allender of Hoaglin-Zenia and Adrianna Delgado of TPA. Three $30 3rd place prizes went to 6th grader Nicole Goodwin of TPA ,8th grader Iris DeGutis of Junction City School and 7th grader Alianna Santa of TPA. 6th grader Vera Degutis of Junction City won an honorable mention and a $20 Trinity Theatre gift certificate. The national poster contest theme of "Be Happy. Be Brave. Be Drug Free" was the inspiration behind the posters. Gracie Ragan's 1st place poster is filled with happy "drug-free" emojis. She chose them to grace her poster because "You can never have too many emojis!"
PATH encourages community members to join the local health coalition team. Our mission is to promote a healthy, safe, and active Trinity County through partnerships, innovation, and action. If you would like to visit a monthly PATH meeting or learn more about the goals of our organization, contact the Human Response Network at 623-2024, visit us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/partnershipinactionfortrinityhealth or visit our website, www.healthy-trinity.org.
To learn more about Red Ribbon Week visit www.redribbon.org.
1st place winner Gracie Ragan
2nd place winners Aleah Allendar and Adrianna Delgado
3rd place winners Alianna Santa, Iris DeGutis, and Nicole Goodwin
Honorable mention Vera Degutis
Parents were also provided with an informational flyer regarding drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in Trinity County.
