San Jacinto students march in Red Ribbon Rally

Ten San Jacinto Elementary School fifth-graders attended the annual Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Red Ribbon Rally on Oct. 15 at the Capitol in Austin.

The San Jacinto students joined more than 1,200 students from across the state in the rally, sponsored by the Texas Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition.

“We had the best time at this rally,” said school counselor Anita Rendon. “This was a great learning experience for our students.”

The San Jacinto students and chaperones traveled to Austin via bus after meeting up with area districts in Houston. The 10 San Jacinto fifth grade students attending the rally were Bianca Arguelles, Yanelly Duran, Stefanie Figueroa, Ricardo Galvan, Chelsea Garcia, Adolfo Hernandez, Katherine Infante, Jennifer Morfin, Calen Ragsdale, and Michelle Robles. Accompanying them were Principal Rebecca Robins, Rendon, and Family Involvement Coordinator Sara Serrano.

On the way to Austin, the students had three tasks: Review "How Texas Laws are Made" Jeopardy Game. “The Texas Jeopardy Game that we played on the way to Austin was a lot of fun because it was about our Texas history and how we would help make a bill become a law,” said fifth-grader Adolfo Hernandez.

Elect officials – the coordinator on each bus allowed students to nominate peers to serve as a "senator." Time was allowed for the nominees to speak and say why they should represent the bus at the capitol and why they would work to pass our anti-drug bills. The students then voted for their senator and the other students were chosen to be committee members. San Jacinto fifth-grader, Chelsea Garcia, was one of the elected committee members.

Draft a bill that addressed one main question: How will we stop students from wanting to use drugs?

In drafting the bill, students gave their greatest concern and their primary solution to the question addressed by the bill. These bills were then given to the senator to present in Austin.

Her San Jacinto classmates sat in the gallery. The representatives participated in the passing or vetoing of the bills. The bills were then transferred to the Senate, and all the students sat in the gallery and watched the bills signed into law. After the rally march to the steps of the Capitol, Chelsea Garcia was allowed to take her place at a desk on the floor of the House.

“It was so cool watching everybody discuss the bills and to see everyone vote for or against the bills,” said Chelsea.

When her classmates asked her how it felt to sit on those big leather chairs and look up at us in the gallery, Chelsea replied, “the chairs felt like they were stuffed with pillows. I felt amazed and proud as I watched my school classmates sitting in the gallery.”

Chelsea is hoping to go back next year as a sixth grader.

This year marks the 21st Anniversary of the death of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a DEA Special Agent who was murdered in Mexico by narcotics traffickers in 1985. The Red Ribbon Program was initiated as a tribute to Camarena’s legacy.

San Jacinto Principal Robins said the students who attended the rally were selected based on leadership skills, academics and behavior.

“This was truly a unique educational opportunity for our students. My hope is for us to be approved to invite more students next year,” said Robins.

The students will share their experience with their fourth and fifth grade classmates during the school’s Red Ribbon Celebration next week.

All the schools of Goose Creek CISD will celebrate Red Ribbon Week Oct. 26 through Oct. 30.

Each school has five theme-days to illustrate the importance of being drug-free. For example, Monday at San Jacinto Elementary is “Live Healthy: Drugs Make You Crazy” Day (wear crazy socks), Tuesday at Highlands Elementary is “Born To Be Drug Free” Day (cutest baby picture contest), Wednesday at Lamar Elementary is “Join the Fight Against Drugs” Day (wear camouflage or military clothing) and so on.

Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country.