🎀❤️ Red Ribbon Week is Coming! ❤️🎀

Red Ribbon Week is October 23–31, and this year, Three Way ISD is joining schools and communities across the country in promoting healthy choices, drug prevention, and the importance of making decisions that protect our students' health and future. 🎀

Red Ribbon Week is about more than wearing red or having fun dress-up days. It is an opportunity to educate our students, start conversations, build healthy decision-making skills, and remind our kids that they have the power to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

We'll be sharing resources throughout the week to help families continue the conversation at home, including:

📋 Student & Parent Red Ribbon Pledges (linked above)

🎨 Red Ribbon Week coloring pages and activities (linked above)

📖 Parent education resources

💬 Tips for talking with children and teens about alcohol and other drugs

📱 Information about current drug-related risks, including counterfeit pills and fentanyl

The official Red Ribbon Campaign also provides family activities and prevention resources that parents can use at home.

SAMHSA's “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign also offers free parent resources, including conversation guides, age-appropriate brochures, tips for answering difficult questions, and a family agreement that can help parents and children create a plan for getting out of uncomfortable situations involving alcohol or other drugs.

👉 Red Ribbon Week Family Resources: Red Ribbon Campaign Parent Resources

👉 Talk. They Hear You. Parent Resources: SAMHSA Parent Resources

Throughout the week, our students will participate in activities designed to make prevention education engaging and age-appropriate, including:

🎀 Red Ribbon Week Dress-Up Days

We'll have fun spirit days throughout the week to get our students involved and keep the message visible!

👻 Costume Guidelines 

📚 Prevention Education

Students will participate in age-appropriate activities and discussions about making healthy choices, resisting peer pressure, and staying safe.

💊 “One Pill Kills” Presentation

Our students will receive important education about the dangers of counterfeit pills and fentanyl. This presentation will help students understand why they should never take a pill that was not prescribed specifically for them or obtained from a trusted pharmacy. Education is an important part of keeping our students safe in today's drug environment. See more details below!

✍️ Red Ribbon Pledges

 Students and families will have the opportunity to make a commitment to healthy, drug-free choices.

🎨 Red Ribbon Activities & Coloring Pages 

We'll have activities for our younger Braves that reinforce the message in a fun and positive way.

Three Way ISD is pleased to provide our students with age-appropriate education focused on substance use prevention, fentanyl awareness, and making safe, informed decisions.

📅 Tuesday, October 27, 2026

This special presentation is part of the One Pill Kills initiative, with curriculum provided by the Texas DPS One Pill Kills program. This fentanyl awareness and prevention initiative educates youth, families, and communities about the dangers of counterfeit pills and fentanyl poisoning.

Students in grades 6–12 will learn about:

💙 What fentanyl is and why it is so dangerous

💙 The risks associated with counterfeit pills and substance misuse

💙 Recognizing dangerous situations and attitudes

💙 Making safe choices and protecting themselves from potentially deadly substances

The presentation will be led by Paula Green, MSN, RN, CCRN, CFRN, Trauma Injury Prevention & Outreach Coordinator with Texas Health Resources Fort Worth, and Sergeant William Lockridge, Safety Education, Public Relations and Information with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Students whose parents/guardians have not opted out of the district's Substance abuse prevention and intervention education will participate in the presentation scheduled for their grade level.

Students whose parents/guardians previously opted them out of these areas of instruction will not attend their grade-level presentation and will be supervised in an alternate setting during that time.

If you have questions about the program or your student's participation, please contact Nurse Allison or Mrs. Parker

Our goal is to equip students with knowledge and practical information to help them recognize risks, make informed decisions, and understand that even one pill from an unverified source can be deadly. Education and awareness can save lives! ❤️🖤

One of the most powerful things we can do for our children is talk with them early and often about alcohol, drugs, vaping, prescription medications, and making healthy choices.

You don't have to have one big, serious conversation. In fact, resources from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' SAMHSA “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign encourage parents to have frequent, age-appropriate conversations with their children and to build an open, trusting relationship where kids know they can come to their parents with questions or concerns.

A few conversation starters you might try:

💬 “What have you heard about drugs or vaping from your friends or online?”

💬 “What would you do if someone offered you a pill or something you weren't sure about?”

💬 “What could you say if you wanted to leave a situation where other kids were using drugs or alcohol?”

💬 “If you ever feel pressured or uncomfortable, how can you let me know you need help?”

💬 “What can I do to help you feel comfortable talking to me about difficult things?”

These conversations don't have to be perfect. The goal is to keep the door open.

Our hope is that Red Ribbon Week isn't just something our students participate in for one week in October. We want to help our Braves develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills to make healthy choices all year long.

Thank you for partnering with us by talking with your children, asking questions, listening without judgment, and reinforcing the message that their health and future matter.

Together, we can help our Braves stay drug free. 🎀❤️🖤