California Students Win 'The Best Me is Drug Free' Contest

NATIONAL FAMILY PARTNERSHIP'S 27TH ANNUAL YOUTH DRUG PREVENTION CAMPAIGN: "THE BEST ME IS DRUG FREE"

The National Family Partnership (NFP) announced the winners of the 2012 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest: "The Best Me Is Drug Free." The nation's oldest and largest drug prevention campaign reaches more than 80 million people nationwide every year since 1985.

This year, families got involved by entering a contest to promote awareness in their neighborhoods and win a drug prevention grant for their schools. "As schools across America celebrated Red Ribbon Week, our contest helped students take the message home," said Peggy Sapp, NFP's volunteer president. "By entering the contest and decorating their homes together, families carried the message to their communities."

Students from throughout the United States entered the contest by decorating their homes together with their parents - mailboxes, front doors and fences. Parents uploaded photos to www.RedRibbon.org, then friends and family voted and the entries with the most votes won (from ten regions across the U.S. including every state). Zane (6) and Kane (3) Tanabe from Belmont, California won a $1,000 drug-prevention grant for Cipriani Elementary School and an iPad for their family.

The DEA co-sponsored this year's national Red Ribbon Week contest. "The DEA is excited to partner with the National Family Partnership® on this contest that empowers communities to come together to talk about the drug problem," said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. "Red Ribbon Week® is also when we honor DEA Special Agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena, who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our communities safe."

In 1985 after the murder of DEA agent Camarena, parents, youth and teachers in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the destruction caused by drugs.

"The National Family Partnership is very grateful to all who participated in this year's contest," adds Peggy Sapp. "We received so many wonderful entries from across the U.S., and an outpouring of support with over 140,000 votes. We are so happy for the winning families who will receive an iPad for themselves and $1,000 for their school." The winning entries are online at www.redribbon.org/winners.

"I enjoyed decorating the door with the boys because it was something we could do together as a family," said mom Kelly Tanabe. "It was great seeing all the support we received from neighbors, friends, family members, teachers. It was so heartwarming that people were so supportive and working together to help out the school. This really helped us to introduce the topic of drugs to them. The contest helped us to open up the dialogue. It really helped. My son keeps saying he wants to have a drug-free life. He knows after doing this that drugs are something to avoid and he's not afraid to tell other kids."

Said Cipriani Elementary School Principal Lisa Zachry: "As a school, we will use the grant money to focus on prevention and wellness."

About the NFP and Red Ribbon Week®
The NFP was established in 1980, and is a national leader in drug prevention, education and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation's families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Week® is the nation's largest and oldest drug prevention campaign, reaching 80 million people. The NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena.