Chester Academy hosts Red Ribbon Week kickoff event for students across county

Students throughout Orange County flooded the Chester Academy auditorium rocking red apparel, anticipating a morning with educational activities and engaging conversations for the Red Ribbon Week kickoff event at Chester Academy on Monday October 21, 2024. 

Stephen Hill, founder of Speak Sobriety, spoke to students about his personal hardships with drugs and alcohol and how he overcame his struggles. Hill talked about his sobriety journey and how his family and friends helped him overcome his addictions in an engaging conversation with the audience. 

Hill was the featured speaker at the kickoff  in partnership with the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Orange County. Prevention Coordinator Mary Alice Kovatch supported the district in planning this event. This year’s theme for Red Ribbon Week is “Life is a movie, film drug free.” 

"Every school year a district volunteers to host, so this was our year," said Jennifer Cuomo,  Middle School Counselor at Chester Academy. “We have been working hard to plan this since January. Organizing a successful Red Ribbon Week kickoff event is an essential part of helping promote a drug-free and healthy lifestyle among our students and the community.” Ms. Cuomo led the planning and organization of this successful event, ensuring every detail contributed to its impact and message.

Red Ribbon Week highlights the importance of living a drug-free life. During Red Ribbon Week, youth and adults around the nation pledge to increase their knowledge by learning more about the destructive effects of drug abuse, including prescription drug misuse, and renew their commitment to live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Superintendent Catherine O’Hara addressed the audience at a breakfast for county dignitaries before the presentation, expressing gratitude for their attendance and underscoring the importance of their roles in the community.

“We are truly honored to host this event,” said Ms. O’Hara, “Whether you serve in law enforcement, education, health services, or government, your presence here this morning reflects your commitment to the well-being of our students, schools, and communities, and we sincerely appreciate your partnership in these efforts.” 

After the breakfast, students arrived at Chester Academy and made their way to the auditorium where Principal John Flanagan welcomed the audience and introduced Mr. Hill. 

“Red Ribbon Week is more than just a time to say no to drugs,” said Mr. Flanagan. “It’s about empowering each and every one of you to make choices that lead to healthy, successful lives. It’s about raising awareness, educating ourselves and supporting one another as a community committed to being drug-free.” 

Speak Sobriety is an organization that raises awareness on substance use prevention and mental health awareness.

“I love to do these youth-summit type of events, where you get people from all different schools coming into one central location,” said Mr. Hill. “There’s a saying ‘It takes a village.’ We are a community. So, to be able to come in here and have people from law enforcement, people from the schools, all different sectors of the community, especially during Red Ribbon Week for what it stands for, it’s an honor to be here.” 

Hill showed the students how mental health struggles can lead to addiction, the consequences of substance use, and how stigma prevented him from asking for help and contributed to his inability to recover.

“It’s an honor to be part of this event,” said Chloe Gossai, a seventh grader at Chester Academy. “The speaker, his speech really moved me and it really inspired me; don’t do these things. You’re always going to have opportunities. Your family or your friends are there. Don’t get tangled up in the wrong type of people. I think that is really inspiring to all of us here at Chester Academy because we're all students and we never really know what we'll get into in life.” 

Afterwards, students were able to speak with Mr. Hill one-on-one to ask him questions about his sobriety before breaking off into groups to participate in various activities. These activities included yoga, salsa dancing, field sobriety test with impairment goggles, field games in partnership with Nike, and a canine demonstration. 

Once students completed all the activities, they made their way back to the auditorium, where closing remarks were made. Chester Academy’s vocal ensemble performed “Lean on Me” before The Chester Union Free School District passed the burning bush to Goshen Central School District, which will host the Red Ribbon Week kickoff event next year. The passing of the bush symbolizes the community’s commitment to sustained substance use prevention.