Oxford Central School recently held a variety of events to celebrate Red Ribbon Week, an alcohol, tobacco, drug, and violence prevention awareness campaign, which ran Oct. 22-Oct. 26. This year’s theme was “Life is Your Journey, Travel Drug Free.” Each day, students and staff discussed and participated in a variety of activities about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Students signed ribbons and hung them, pledging that they would stay drug and alcohol free.

To promote anti-bullying, stand-up comedian and former teacher, Mike Speirs, held a humorous, interactive, and informative presentation called “Be an Upstander, Not a Bystander.” He discussed his “5 C’s of Being An Upstander” with students.  In the evening, parents were invited to see his presentation and learn what it means to be an upstander rather than a bystander.

In addition to the anti-drug and anti-bullying events, students also held a fundraiser for families affected by Hurricane Florence. OCS students raised $300 for the cause. Sponsored by the K-Kids Club, students could donate money to be able to wear a hat for a day. They were also able to purchase “Trick-or-Treat” goodie bags.