The San Benito County Office of Education partnered with San Benito County Behavioral Health, San Benito County Public Health, Youth Recovery Connections, motivational speaker Tony Hoffman and Sean Haggett from WonderWoofs during Red Ribbon Week, which took place Oct. 23-27.
Red Ribbon Week is held annually to celebrate vape, tobacco and drug prevention, says a press release from the county office of education, which kicked off the week Oct. 21 by hosting a booth at the Red Ribbon Festival in downtown Hollister.
Hoffman, a world class BMX rider and Olympic coach, spoke to students at Pinnacles Community School, Santa Ana Opportunity School, San Andreas Continuation High School and Hollister High School about his experiences overcoming addiction, says the press release.
Haggett brought his interactive safety dog presentation to nine schools including all San Benito County rural campuses and Anzar High School.
San Benito County Public Health partnered with SBCOE to bring in Joshua from Youth Recovery Connections, who spoke to students from 11 schools, including all middle school students in the Hollister Elementary School District and Spring Grove School, about his own personal story, says the release. Students also heard presentations by SBCPH’s Tobacco Prevention Unit, the Opioid Task Force and the Oral Health Unit.
In addition to the speaking events, SBCOE hosted a video contest encouraging students to creatively promote lifestyles that are free of vaping, tobacco and drugs. Pinnacles Community School submitted the winning video as a class effort and won a $150 Amazon gift card.
SBCOE also held a classroom door decorating contest, with first prize going to Ms. Gonzalez’s class from Spring Grove, second place to Ms. McCraw’s class at Panoche School and third to Mrs. Wilcox’s class at Tres Pinos. Each class received Amazon gift cards.
