Pubdate: Mon, 31 Oct 2005
Source: Hawk Eye, The (IA)
Copyright: 2005 The Hawk Eye
Contact:  http://www.thehawkeye.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/934
Author: Shawna Richter

HAVING FUN SAYING NO TO DRUGS

Students Play At Y During Red Ribbon Week Finale

The Burlington Area Community YMCA--YWCA was alive and pumping at 
11:30 p.m. for the annual Seeds Amongst the Stones lock--in Saturday night.

The take--over stood as the wrap--up to Red Ribbon Week, the week 
where area schools support the "Say NO to drugs" campaign.

Red Ribbon Week started 20 years ago when Drug Enforcement Agent 
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by drug 
traffickers in Mexico.

After this death, friends and neighbors wore red badges to honor him 
and show they would continue his fight against illegal drugs.

Every year since then, students across the United States have worn 
red ribbons on their shirts. They have worn them to school, to Red 
Ribbon Week activities, to the grocery store, to play.

And play is what the students from Burlington, West Burlington, Notre 
Dame, Mediapolis and Danville high schools did all night Saturday and 
into the morning hours of Sunday.

"There's a massive amount of food, pop, games," said Stacy Hiller, 
Grade A Plus coordinator, at the YMCA Saturday night, "and little sleep."

The students could play basketball, racquetball, volleyball, 
dodgeball, ping pong and board games. They could swim from midnight 
to 2 a.m. They could watch movies all night long.

They could do typical high school stuff in a safe, positive 
environment, Hiller said.

"It's a good opportunity to meet people from other schools and have 
fun," said Sierra Krisle, a junior at Mediapolis High School student.

Martha Dean, also a junior at MHS added, "What else do you have 
planned to do between midnight to 6 a.m.?"

And with daylight savings time ending, they had an extra hour to party.

"What?" Dean said laughing. "Don't tell me that."

Both Dean and Krisle have attended the event since their freshman 
year. After having such a good time, the pair decided to get involved 
and help organize the event.

"There will be dodgeball and food," Krisle said. Dean added, "There's 
Subway, pizza, ice cream -- so it's all covered."

In the food/game/movie room, people grabbed bags of candy or popcorn 
and headed to other sections of the Y.

"I got a free bag of candy so things are going pretty good so far," 
said Andrew Deen, West Burlington High School junior, as he talked to 
three junior girls from Mediapolis High.

Deen had played basketball earlier in the evening, and the girls had 
participated in the Halloween costume contest.

"We dressed up as cowgirls," 16--year--old Emily Baker said.

And though the girls didn't win it, they did have a good time.

WBHS freshman Antoinette Holman did win the costume competition, her 
Pippi Longstocking outfit making her stick out from the rest. After 
the competition, Holman kept the outfit on as long as she could, but 
"it was really uncomfortable and itchy."

Holman is new to the area, having moved from Cedar Rapids recently. 
Other students at the lock--in had similar events from sixth grade 
on, but the experience was new for Holman.

"It's fun," she said. "It's a chance for people at different schools 
to get to know each other."

For Mike Dewey, a WBHS sophomore, the event is a chance to hang out 
with friends and draw.

"I will come every year as long as I can," he said, coloring in a 
drawing he made earlier in the night. He also planned to stay up all night.

So did BHS students Levi Ruth and Ben Noblet who had just finished 
playing racquetball and were sitting in the movie/snack room 
re--energizing before the next game.

"We played extreme racquetball," said Ruth, a sophomore. "You hit 
each other with the racquetballs for no reason at all."

"It hurts," added Noblet, a junior.

The boys and several others planned to play soccer, basketball and 
more racquetball before the night was over.

"We'll probably come out again next year," Ruth said.

Michael Douglas, a WBHS senior, won't have that opportunity again.

"I've come the last four years," he said. "It's a good time -- worth the $5."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman