Every October, students in the Islip School District participate in various activities aimed at promoting healthy living and making good decisions as part of their Red Ribbon Week celebrations.

This year, the kindergarten and first-grade students at Wing Elementary School expanded upon their lessons from previous years. At Wing, the students pledged to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, be active for at least 60 minutes a day and participate in no more than two hours of screen time (Internet or television). According to Principal Diane Druckman, “The students walked a red line to promise they will stay the course and make good choices. We’ve also focused on friendship and age-appropriate language.” In addition, the PTA provided red ribbons for the students to tie together on the fence, spelling out “Good Choices.”

At the high school, the students celebrated Red Ribbon Day on Nov. 13, as the week of activities was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy. During morning announcements, members of the Students Against Destructive Decisions club shared statistics on the dangers of substance abuse. At lunchtime, the SADD club and the IDEA Task Force Compass Coalition sponsored a student leadership fair, which provided students with information on the various clubs and sports teams offered at the school. The PTSA also sponsored a lunchtime activity in which they set up a drug awareness table where students could pledge to remain drug and alcohol free. In exchange, the pledge takers were entered in a raffle to win prizes to local restaurants and stores.