Last week, Monday, October 27 through Friday, October 31, Cherry Hill High School East recognized Red Ribbon Week, offering students five consecutive dress-up days with unique and engaging themes that made all students want to participate!

On Monday, October 27, the week started strong with its’ theme of  “Teaming up against Drugs and Violence,” encouraging students to wear their favorite sports team apparel to show that we are stronger together, and need to work together to fight against drugs, alcohol, and other forms of violence. Many teachers and students alike participated by showcasing their favorite sports teams!

On Tuesday, October 28, Red Ribbon Week continued under the theme of “Following [our] dreams and not doing drugs!” Students were encouraged to wear their pajamas to school to represent that they are dreaming of a world without drugs and alcohol, and violence! Students came to school in flannels, bunny slippers, and onesies, and there was moderate participation from both teachers and students alike.

On Wednesday, October 29, students were encouraged to “Give Drugs and Violence The Boot” by wearing Western wear or flannels, and many teachers took the halls by storm by wearing leather boots and cowboy hats! Students sported braids and flannel shirts in their opposition against Drugs and Violence!

On Thursday, October 30, Students were encouraged to “show school spirit, say NO to drugs and violence” by wearing East Apparel or Red. Many students and teachers alike supported the theme by wearing red and various articles of East merch in their support of Red Ribbon Week — and school spirit! Participation was very high on this day, since who doesn’t love school spirit?

On Friday, October 31, Students were encouraged to “Scare of drugs” by wearing an appropriate Halloween costume, or orange and black! Many students sported looks of arrived at school as renowned cartoon characters, infamous monsters like Dracula, and zombies. This year, the math department, a department that always comes together to create a group costume, chose the beloved candy M&M’s. Participation was thoroughly noted throughout the school, and excited students!

Red Ribbon Week at Cherry Hill High School East wasn’t just about dress-up days — it reminded students and staff to make healthy choices, stay substance-free, and support each other. Through participation, creativity, and school spirit, the week showed that awareness could be both meaningful and memorable.

Eastside interviewed Ms. DiStefano to gain her thoughts on Red Ribbon Week and its significance at East.

What do you think is the importance of Red Ribbon Week?

“Just to bring awareness to being substance-free, and violence prevention week is also included, which is a mandated awareness week in the state of New Jersey, so all of New Jersey state public schools should be campaigning. We can combine efforts in being substance-free and violence-free.”

How do the dress-up days fit into the overall goals of Red Ribbon Week?

“Over the years in High School, especially just kids getting involved in something to address the theme of the week. Having a little bit of awareness, it’s Red Ribbon Week, and violence prevention week, it’s historically always been dress-up days. My little added touch is to get the homerooms involved in a kind of competition, and teachers are tallying up each day how many kids are dressed up each week. We get funds from the Cherry Hill New Jersey School Counselor Association (NJSCA) school alliance, which is a house out of the mayor’s office, so they give us funds for prizes, they will be pens, bracelets, things with awareness quotes on them, maybe some candy.”

What is the besotted prize for the homeroom with the most participation?

“What I’ll do is I’ll look at all the homerooms that have been participating, the top one first, the theme within that day, that, that homeroom is knocking out of the park, and I’ll give them candy, I’ll just add to that, and I usually try to do the top three homerooms, and I try to look at each day, if it’s close I’ll do 4, and it depends on the numbers in the class, and how many prizes I have, and we want each student to get something, even though they may not have participated because we want everyone to get something. If you’re representing your homeroom, everyone wins.”

What’s your favorite part about seeing students dress up days?

“And staff, I think it’s like they’re supporting the theme and supporting the awareness of what Red Ribbon Week and violence prevention means, whether they’re doing it consciously or not. I appreciate the support for it.”

Have you noticed any change in student spirit or engagement during Red Ribbon Week?

“I think, to be honest, we’re getting more participation than we have in the past. When the teachers participate, it helps the students, then they want to participate too, and of course, down here, guidance everyone kind of supports the overall message of the day.”

What do you hope students take away from this week?

“We just want a safe and healthy environment, so I’m hoping that’s the takeaway. “