Red Ribbon Week is celebrated annually at George Mason High School with various activities throughout the week to raise awareness about drug addiction and its consequences.
Just outside the doors of the GM cafeteria, different activities concerning the dangers of drug addiction were offered for students to engage in each day. These included signing a pledge to be drug free, participating in an impaired-vision drug simulation, spinning the “wheel of misfortune,” and choosing your path through a short video clip. The activities were organized by Ms. Thomasson, but students are encouraged to help run them.
“Our goal, as the counseling department, is basically just to raise awareness,” said Ms. Mica Thomasson, Coordinator of Student Services.
“I thought it was important for teens to hear this stuff so that they can be more informed about the consequences of doing drugs,” sophomore Lila Washa said.
To conclude Red Ribbon Week, former George Mason student, Caitlin Acosta, who suffered from drug abuse in her past, spoke to the school about what she went through after her recreational drug usage turned into a serious addiction. She has been clean and sober for over seven years and serves as an example of someone who was able to turn their lives around after hitting rock bottom.
This year was the first time a GM graduate spoke about her own personal story of drug and alcohol addiction, which was intended to make the experience meaningful and more relatable for every student.
“She lived it so I think she has a bit of a unique experience,” Thomasson said.
Students agreed that her connection to the school system seemed to help engage students on a more personal level.
“[The fact she was a GM student] made me relate to her because she’s been through the same stuff we’ve all been through,” said junior Biruk Teshome.
Caitlin Acosta’s drug addiction began during middle school at MEH. Acosta continued abusing, paracetamol, a type of painkiller throughout high school. She was caught with them in her backpack at school, but nonetheless continued using drugs and received a DUI (driving under the influence) as a minor.
“I stopped drinking before I was even of legal age to buy alcohol,” Acosta said.
Acosta made clear that starting to use drugs is much easier than attempting to stop, but it can be done if both mind and body have the willpower. Although her story did end happily, the story for most drug addicts does not.
“It may seem like a small decision, it may seem like one time, one day, one night but those decisions really do impact people’s lives, sometimes for the rest of their lives, sometimes they’re fatal,” Acosta said.
Red Ribbon Week is celebrated to prove this exact premise. Controlling your own life is better than having drugs control it for you.
Acosta wants every student to ask themselves; is it worth it?
The answer ultimately lies in the hands of the student, but Red Ribbon Week is meant to guide each student down the right path.
