PHS senior leads Red Ribbon project

October 23-27 was Red Ribbon Week throughout Sanders County schools. Schools chose their personal daily themes and slogans. Grades K-12 participated. In Plains, Monday was Camouflage Day: Hide from drugs. Students and staff were encouraged to dress up in the daily themes. Tuesday was Jersey Day: Team up against drugs, Wednesday was Red Ribbon Day: Wear red, Thursday was Western Day: Give the boot to drugs, and Friday was Wear Neon Day: Shine brighter than drugs.

Kati Mitchell's Business Essentials class spearheaded the week. "We took over the project from the counselor. This is our first year. Brandt Snead is the Civic Committee Leader. He did a great job organizing the week's activities," Mitchell said. She said that Snead gave talks to the groups as they worked on daily projects.

Monday, kindergarten through sixth graders made a banner with leaves on it. The leaves have names of students with their pledges to stay drug free. Tuesday the first and second graders played tobacco tag with pool noodles, Wednesday was red ribbon relay races with the third and fourth graders and Thursday the fifth and sixth graders played basketball lightning.

"I had a different group of seniors each day to help with the daily games," Snead said. Each event, as well as the number of students that dressed up, earned the classes points. The seventh through 12th grades watched videos and had daily discussions about drug safety.

"The elementary beat the junior high and high school with points for dressing up," Mitchell said. The third graders beat the entire school with the most points, she added.

The second graders, third graders and fifth graders won the most points collected by the daily games as well as by dressing up. The winning classes received individual gift certificates to Ripples Ice Cream and Mangy Moose. The other classes were awarded bracelets for their hard work and efforts, Snead commented. "I love being with the kids and doing these projects with them," Snead said.