Rowe School Red Ribbon Week essay winners announced

Rancho Santa Fe’s R. Roger Rowe School held its annual Red Ribbon Week campaign Oct. 24 through Oct. 28. Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign promoting drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse prevention and awareness in schools and communities.

It is a wonderful opportunity for schools and families to educate youth regarding the power of positive choices in leading healthy and successful lives. The campaign serves as an opportunity for schools and communities to encourage students to achieve their hopes and dreams by making the commitment to live healthy, drug-free lives.

Every year, R. Roger Rowe School asks its 5th graders to write an essay expressing how they will remain drug-free. Below is Rowe’s 1st place essay winner Kyle Minasian’s essay for 2016. Congratulations to 2nd place winner Anaclaire Fox and 3rd place winner Ava Welcher.

How I Will Stay Drug-Free

By Kyle Minasian

Did you know people wreck their lives taking drugs? Can you imagine purposely just wasting your life? You are here on Earth for a reason. Aren’t you are supposed to make an impact? So, why not make a positive impact? I have plans in life, and drugs are not part of my plan. I will stay drug-free by focusing on baseball, working hard in school, and by having a positive self image. These are the three ways I will stay drug-free.

The first way I will stay drug-free is that I will focus on baseball. I will play baseball at the minimum 3 days per week. I know baseball helps me stay busy, sharpens my mind, and keeps me fit. Baseball also helps you make friends. When you play on a team your coaches and teammates support you. Playing baseball makes me feel happy and good about myself. I mean, I LOVE baseball. Since I was four years old, I’ve been playing baseball, and have been passionate about the game. When I am crouching down behind home plate, feeling the burn in my legs, I see the pitcher wind up and throw the ball. I’m focused, ready for anything, I position my glove in front of me, and “SMACK,” the ball flies right into my glove. In a split second I see the runner headed to second base. I pop up and transition the ball to my hand, and use all my arm strength to throw a frozen rope down to second. When people take drugs they lose interest in sports, and usually don’t feel connected to others. I can’t live my life without sports. It is part of who I am, and I am not going to let drugs interfere with my sporting life. This is how baseball can keep me drug-free and have a positive effect on my life.

Another way I will stay drug-free is that I will focus on education. I need to make smart decisions in school. If I make smart decisions in school I will go to a good college. Getting into a good college will help me be smarter and have more career opportunities. If I have many career opportunities I will be able to have my dream job and be happy with my life. If I focus on education and work hard in school I will be away from drugs. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” I plan on changing the world and I know how important it is to get a good education. Instead of wasting my life by doing drugs, I will work hard in school. A good education will help my life and others.

The last way I will stay drug-free is that I care about myself enough to not waste my life. Because I care about myself, I will not waste my life by taking drugs. Have you ever heard how becoming an addict benefitted someone’s life? Made them happier? Made them more successful? NO! That’s why I will not take drugs. I have dreams, BIG DREAMS, and I am not going to let anything get in my way, and certainly, drugs are not going to be one of those things getting in my way. Usually when people take drugs they do not feel good about themselves. They usually don’t have a good self-image. When you do the right thing, you can’t help it, you just feel good about yourself! And doing drugs is not the right thing to do.

The thing about life, is that you have to make decisions. Every day you are faced with challenges. If you do the right thing, and not take drugs, your life will be way better off. In my life I am using strategies to keep me drug-free. Strategy number one, I will focus on baseball. Strategy number two, I will strive to be the best student I can be. Strategy number three is that I will care about myself. These strategies are working to keep me drug-free. What are you going to do to keep yourself drug-free? What are your strategies? You are put on earth for a reason, so make an impact, a positive impact. This begins with living a drug-free life!