About 175 Varnett students received a visit from Houston police officers who talked about the dangers of drugs.
The message from the men in uniform was aimed at 3rd through 5th grade students who packed the Southwest Campus multi-purpose room and listened intently during the 30-minute presentation.
“You have to stay strong,” said R. “Ray” Freeze, senior officer for the Houston Police Department, in urging students to resist any temptation to abuse drugs.
The visit by officers Freeze (pictured at right) and J.M. Ly came during Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, when communities and individuals take a stand “for the hopes and dreams of our children through a commitment of drug prevention and education,” according to the I’m Drug Free website. Red Ribbon Week, when people wear red ribbons to display their commitment to a drug-free lifestyle, became a national event in 1988 to honor Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who was tortured and killed by Mexican drug traffickers in 1985.
The officers displayed to students a "Drug Identification Guide" describing the characteristics of inhalants,club drugs, cocaine, heroin and cannabis along with prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as pain relievers, anti-depressants and stimulants. On the lower right corner was a display of paraphernalia.
Ms. Jackson, the campus librarian, distributed fliers illustrating that people who abuse drugs often end up with serious problems, such as getting sick, having accidents, building up a tolerance, becoming hooked, committing crimes, being arrested, becoming violent and losing friends.
Officer Freeze told a story of a successful department store manager with a nice house and a nice car. He used drugs just once, got caught, was arrested and jailed. “He said, ‘I made a mistake one time and now I’ve lost everything.’ Don’t even try it, not even once,” Officer Freeze told the students.
According to the flier, about 2 million people are arrested each year for alcohol- and drug-related offenses. In addition, thousands of people annually are treated in hospitals for drug-related accidents and mental and physical illness. More than 25,000 die every year.
Fifth-grade student Miguel Venegas (pictured at right) said he found the presentation valuable. “Drugs can kill you, make you sick or send you to jail,” he said. And if anybody offers him drugs, “no” will be his response.
At the end of the presentation, Dr. M. Annette Cluff, the district superintendent and director of the Southwest Campus, joined Ms. Jackson in giving the police officers a gift: red velvet cupcakes.