The Educational Coalition for Monroe County, MHS Champions for Change and the Guidance Care Center Inc. collaborated with several local agencies to provide Red Ribbon Week activities at Marathon High School last week. Red Ribbon Week is one of the oldest and largest drug prevention awareness campaigns in the country. Students had several opportunities to learn about the importance of making healthy choices and honored Kiki Camarena, the fallen DEA agent whose capture and death provided the inspiration for what would later become Red Ribbon Week. Representatives from several agencies as well as community leaders gathered at MHS on Oct. 28 for a county proclamation presented by Mayor Michelle Lincoln. Present were principal Christine Paul; deputy superintendent Amber Acevedo; DEA special agent Oscar Negron; Marathon City Councilwoman Robyn Still; multiple members of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, including director of special investigations and HIDTA Paul Bean; and Champions for Change members, including youth leaders Elizabeth Perez and Jonathan Calvo and sponsors Martina and Christina Belotti. Keeping with the theme for Red Ribbon Week 2026, Batman and Robin stopped by for some photos. Marathon High’s Red Ribbon Week group photo has been entered into the National Red Ribbon Week photo contest. Scan the QR code to vote once every 24 hours until Nov. 17. Photo by SANDRA LEE PHOTOGRAPHY/Contributed
