43 Florida schools and 19 Florida families need your help to win the 2016 National Red Ribbon Photo Contest. Winners are determined by who has the most votes in each region. Florida entries, which are competing in region 4 of the contest, are just some of the many entries representing multiple states in the southeast vying for the top prize: an ipad and $1,000 for a K-12 school.

However, even if the Florida participants don't get the top prize in their region in the National contest, which is co-sponsored by the National Family Partnership and the DEA, Informed Families will be giving out a special prize (an iPad and $1,000 for a K-12 school) to the top school entry and top home entry in Florida with the most votes.  

The contest asked families to decorate their front door, mailbox or fence and school's to decorate their campus with a double looped red ribbon and this year's theme: "YOLO. Be Drug Free."

So what are you waiting for? Vote for your favorite at www.redribbon.org/vote! Voting takes place between now and November 17th.

Did You Get The Red Ribbon Message?

Did You Pass It On Correctly?

During Red Ribbon Week®, the red ribbon is used to symbolize the importance of a healthy, drug free lifestyle. This year’s theme, YOLO. Be Drug Free.® was created by two sixth graders in Claysburg, Pennsylvania. It reminds us to take care of our minds and our bodies.

Years ago I directed an after-school program. No matter how hard I tried to educate and set my students on a path to success, if their parents or caregivers weren’t delivering the same message at home, the work was exponentially harder. Furthermore, when our overall environment is sending conflicting, unhealthy messages, we are stressed and challenged. I do believe that one person can make a difference in a child’s life, but by partnering with parents and improving community messaging, the likelihood of raising safe, healthy, drug free kids is vastly improved.

This year’s National Red Ribbon theme is “Love Yourself. Be Drug Free.”

When I first heard it, I thought it was brilliant. But, then it led me to thinking about how we can truly inspire our children to love themselves and how we can more fully love ourselves. What does it mean to “love yourself?” What can we all do to love ourselves?

Here are 7 ideas to help demonstrate, nurture and grow self-love: