It’s an effort to get the students at Ironton Middle School to keep away from drugs. That’s the main purpose for their involvement in the annual Red Ribbon Week.

“My job as school counselor is to promote a positive school climate by supporting students,” Bobbi Payne of Ironton Middle, said. “Red Ribbon Week involves all the kids and is an opportunity to send a message to students to live a drug-free life.”

To kick off the week the school held a poster contest with the following students as winners, Kortnie Porter, Gabby Osborne and Aalysa Shope, first places; Karsyn Bates, Mackenzie Ackerson and Skyler Cunningham, second places; and Kaitlyn Morrison, Riley Lewis and Michael Wicker, third places.

The week came about after the brutal murder of an undercover drug agent, Enrique Kiki Camerena, who was working for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Mexico. The agent was killed on Feb. 7, 1985.

“We are involved in this every year,” Payne said.

On Tuesday the students will join hands around the school yard as a visible symbol of their taking a stand against drugs. That will happen at 1:15 p.m. with balloons released at 1:30 p.m.