Community leaders from across the island gathered at B.P. Carbullido Elementary School on Wednesday morning to launch Red Ribbon Week—the nation’s longest-running drug-use prevention campaign. The Barrigada school was chosen to host this year’s kickoff after one of its student artists won last year’s contest.

An important reminder reaching the students on attendance was “Life is a puzzle, solve it drug-free.” GDOE superintendent Dr. Kenneth Swanson added, "It’s a puzzle when you’re six, it’s a puzzle when you’re 60.”

“There’s lots of helpers in this room all around you, and you see them every day. Remember, they are helpers to help you put that puzzle piece together one at a time...look around you, all the grown ups that are here–you have police, the national guard, there are senators, firefighters, teachers, all your school aides–all the grown ups in this room are here because you’re important and we want you to be able  to grow up and not have to worry about drugs being a part of your life.”

“And remember, kicking off Red Ribbon Week isn’t just about a ribbon—it’s not just about red. It’s about making great choices to live a good life that you can be proud of when you’re old like me.”

Leaders from across the island gathering at the Barrigada campus to launch Red Ribbon Week—an annual campaign dedicated to drug prevention. The movement began in 1985, honoring fallen DEA special agent Enrique Camarena, who lost his life fighting drug trafficking. Decades later, the cause remains just as urgent.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero addressing the methamphetamine crisis impacting Guam, reaffirming the island’s commitment to keeping drugs out of the hands of youth. “As your governor, it is my responsibility to make sure that our children are protected, and how I do that is by working very closely with many of our political leaders, working closely with our on-profit organizations, working closely with our government agencies–like the police, the fire, the national guard, the military, and all those law enforcement people that are the ones that go out there to really fight drugs," she said.

“I encourage the teachers and all of us here to continue on with the awareness of the bad effects of drugs on our island—we have a high, high use of methamphetamine on our island. But I do want to say that we are working very hard to stop bringing in those drugs and to confiscate those drugs so that it doesn’t get into the hands of children.”

Senator Therese Terlaje also sharing a message of strength with the students, sharing, “You’re going to find easy and hard puzzles–but your brains and your bodies–they’re built to solve puzzles. That’s what they’re built for. So, if you take care of your brains and your bodies, you’re going to solve those puzzles that you need to solve. You’re going to handle sadness or very hard times–you’ll be able to handle those if you take care of your brains and your bodies. That’s why we’re here to remind you that drugs, alcohol, tobacco, including the nicotine in vaping products, are harmful to your brain and body. That’s what’s going to block us from solving the puzzles that we need to solve.”

Following a proclamation signing declaring Red Ribbon Week and a legislative resolution, the B.P. Carbullido community vowing to nurture their full potential–taking the drug-free pledge, announcing in unison “I pledge allegiance to myself and who I want to be, because I can make my dreams come true if I believe in me. I pledge to stay in school and learn the things I need to know to make the world a better place for kids like me to grow. I pledge to keep my dreams alive and be all I can be. I know I can, and that’s because I pledge to stay drug-free.”

They concluded with a hearty “Biba Red Ribbon Week...biba!”