Students to Wear Mustaches to Highlight Anti-Drug Efforts

News Advisory
Oct. 16, 2013

More than 1,000 Texas fifth-grade students will wear mustaches and pledge to remain drug free at the 16th annual Red Ribbon Rally Thursday at the State Capitol. Representing the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Corpus Christi areas, fifth-graders will wear mustaches and t-shirts with a plea to their peers: “I mustache [must ask] you not to do drugs.”

This year’s rally at the Capitol will also feature entertainment from rapper Police I.C.E.; the Texas Children’s Choir; Colonel Suzanne Adkinson, Commander of the Texas Joint Counterdrug Task Force; and a San Antonio youth dance troupe called HYPE (Helping Youth Prevention through Entertainment) that encourages teens to stay drug and alcohol free. Following the rally on the south steps, the students will participate in a mock legislative session inside the House and Senate chambers where they will debate and vote on anti-substance abuse bills they drafted earlier at school.

Red Ribbon Week began as a grassroots movement to honor the memory of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent who was kidnapped, tortured, and killed by drug dealers in Mexico in 1985.

WHAT:    Texas Capitol Red Ribbon Rally
WHEN:    Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013
                 10:50 – 11:20 a.m.    Media interview opportunities
                 11:20 – 12:05 p.m.    Red Ribbon Rally
                 12:20 – 1:20 p.m.      Student mock legislative sessions
WHERE:    Texas State Capitol, South Steps and Capitol House and Senate Chambers
VISUALS:    More than 1,000 fifth-graders from across Texas rallying against drugs and alcohol, students participating in mock legislative sessions in Capitol chambers, performances by Police I.C.E., the Texas Children’s Choir, and HYPE.

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(News Media Contact: Chris Van Deusen, DSHS Press Officer, 512-776-7753)

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