Contest: Red Ribbon Week®Photo Contest

In an effort to prevent drug use and educate youth, the National Family Partnership (NFP), invites families and schools across America to participate in its 5^thAnnual National Red Ribbon Week Photo Contest. Entries are now being accepted. The contest, which is co-sponsored by the DEA, will be held in conjunction with the 30^thAnnual Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31).

"Students will once again take the Red Ribbon Campaign prevention message into their homes, neighborhoods and schools with this contest," said NFP President Peggy Sapp. "It's a fun and creative way for parents and schools to educate children about the dangers of drug use while they decorate their homes and schools using this year's theme, "Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free." The contest begins on October 1st with the winners announced on December 4th.This year, $20,000 will be awarded to schools in ten regions across the country.

Here's how to enter:

-       Students and families decorate their home's front door, mailbox or fence with a double-looped red ribbon and the theme, "Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free."

-       Schools (K-12) may decorate their school campus with a double-looped red ribbon and the theme, "Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free." Decorations should be in a visible location on the school campus.

-       Take a photo with your decoration and upload it to RedRibbon.org/contest October 1 (12:00 am ET) to November 3 (11:59pm ET). You must be 18 years or older to upload the photo and can do so from any desktop or mobile device.

-       Ask family and friends to vote for your entry beginning November 4 (12:00am ET) to November 18 (11:59pm ET). The winners will be announced December 4th.

-       10 Families in the Home Decoration category with the most votes in each region will win an iPad for the family and $1,000 to be used towards drug prevention at a K-12 school of their choosing.

-       10 schools in the School Decoration category with the most votes in each region will win an iPad (for the school employee or PTA member who entered on behalf of the school) and $1,000 to be used towards drug prevention at the school.

-       Watch the precious reaction of one of the previous young winners.

In addition to the contest, the National Family Partnership recently announced that this year¹s National Red Ribbon Week Youth Ambassador is Johanna Colón of Raleigh, North Carolina. The 7 year-old YouTube sensation was selected for her tremendous spirit, wonderful dance skills,

commitment to healthy activities, kindness towards others, leadership qualities, self-confidence and her self-respect ­ all demonstrated in a three-minute, viral YouTube video, viewed by an

estimated 20 million people. Johanna¹s qualities and her song selection (Aretha Franklin¹s classic, "Respect") tie in perfectly with this year¹s Red Ribbon Week theme: Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.

And here¹s a "sneak-peek"  of the brand new video on The Red Ribbon Week^®Photo Contest:

http://redribbon.org/contest

THE NATIONAL FAMILY PARTNERSHIP was established in 1980 and is a national leader in drug prevention, education and advocacy. Its mission is to lead our nation¹s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth. Red Ribbon Weekis the nation¹s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign. NFP created the campaign in response to the 1985 abduction and murder of DEA agent Enrique ³Kiki² Camarena. Learn more about NFP at www.nfp.org.