By Misty DUPLESSIS

During the week prior to Oct. 22, Valley View’s Korean Parent Association decorated the school with red ribbons sending a clear anti-drug message in commemoration of Red Ribbon week.

The annual weeklong event was themed Too Smart to Start, and was held to educate students about the dangers associated with the abuse of drugs and alcohol.

This year, PTA First VP and Red Ribbon Week Chair Misty Toro made sure to make it a memorable occasion.

“[Toro] went above and beyond and gave her own touch to this Red Ribbon Week like [with] the flyover,” said PTA President Myra Goethals who said that Toro had daily incentives for students who participated in the events.

During the middle of the week, the students and staff all wore red and were assembled on the field to form a big circle with a diagonal line across it.

As Valley View participants stood in the center of their field, the tri-cities air support flew over and snapped a few aerial keepsake photos that families will be able to take home as a reminder of the week’s lesson.

Second grade student Emily Goethals’s favorite part of the week was the exercise, ‘Flying High Without Drugs’ when she assembled on the field with her friends for the helicopter flyover.

Fifth grader Jake Harper took away valuable lessons from the planned events.

“We learned about which drugs not to take. This girl came and we all sat down in the auditorium she taught us about bad drugs and what’s in them and all the bad stuff and if you smoke too much you can get addicted to them. It was interesting,” said Harper.

On Tuesday’s “Sock it to Drugs” day, students wore crazy or mismatched socks and were treated to an assembly held by Magicians Against Drugs.

“[The goal] was to increase awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol and to promote living a healthy lifestyle,” said Goethals.

Even though the week was full of prizes, crazy attire and different daily themes, the main idea to “Just Say No” was present at every activity.