People Attaining Complete Equality hold annual Red Ribbon Week

By Christoph Neumann
Staff Writer

The People Attaining Complete Equality held its annual drug awareness assembly on Friday Oct. 26 at the end of Red Ribbon Week.

The assembly featured two Mira Costa alumni who are recovering addicts, Mira Costa resource officer Officer John Loy, two rehabilitation counselors and professional surfer Alex Gray. The assembly’s theme was Taken.

“The theme ‘Taken’ represents the idea that many students have already taken the path of addiction,” PACE adviser Dr. Rocky Wilson said. “‘Taken’ reminds us about the people that have been taken from us as a result of their addictions.”

This year for the first time a video featuring Costa students was shown during the assembly. In the video, students were asked questions regarding drug and alcohol abuse in the Mira Costa community.

“It was really cool to see so many of my friends and people I knew in the video,” senior Taylor Lewis said. “It made me think about drugs problem at Costa and whether there is a noticeable problem or not.”

Along with the assembly, PACE distributed lollipops, sticky hands, water bottles and red bracelets to students. These handouts were meant to symbolize the recipient’s commitment to a drug free life style. They also hung up posters around the campus in order to increase awareness.

“This year we were able to reach most of the student body by passing out over 2400 bracelets and hanging up over 25 posters,” Wilson said. “Our goal this year was to reach as many students as possible so they could understand why we have Red Ribbon Week. I believe we succeeded.”

This year PACE decided to also have its members visit classrooms throughout the week. During these visits the members talked about Red Ribbon Week, its goals and distributed the handouts to students.

“The class visit was really interesting and informative,” junior Nicole Barman said. “The kids in P.A.C.E were really effective in reaching the students in my class and built up anticipation for the assembly.”

Dr. Wilson believes that this year’s Red Ribbon Week and assembly was one of the more successful ones they have ever held. He thinks that this year’s assembly created a blueprint for assemblies in the future.

“I was watching the audience when the speakers were up there and people were engaged and paying attention to what was being said,” Wilson said. “Teachers and students really liked the assembly as well.”