Allen East High School is the Region 5 winner of the  2016 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest.

Students, faculty and staff were led by teacher and SADD advisor, Kelly Prichard, in decorating the school with this year’s theme, “YOLO. Be Drug Free.”

This was done in addition to the school’s traditional Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 23-31) celebrations to promote their commitment to living a healthy and drug-free lifestyle.

The contest takes place each year as a part of National Red Ribbon Week – the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention campaign, sponsored by the National Family Partnership (NFP).

Prichard will receive an iPad from NFP and the school will receive a $1,000 prize from contest co-sponsors, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), to be used toward drug prevention.

“We displayed our poster in front of the football field so when people came to see the games, they would see the poster too,” said Prichard. “Drugs have a lasting impact in all stages of life. Kids nowadays are too busy and not equipped to deal with stress, so they turn to drugs to relieve pressure and escape from negative things. It’s important to teach skills to avoid them and to be aware of the dangers.”

To learn more about Red Ribbon Week and the contest, visit www.RedRibbon.org.