This week, Centre Avenue Elementary School joined school districts across the nation in observing Red Ribbon Week, the country's longest-running drug-use prevention program. Since its inception, Red Ribbon Week has taken place each October, providing schools with a meaningful opportunity to deliver age-appropriate lessons about making healthy choices and preventing alcohol, tobacco, drug use and violence.

This year's theme is Life is a Puzzle, Solve it Drug Free, and Centre Avenue Elementary embraced the message with both enthusiasm and creativity. The school organized a special spirit week alongside a collaborative activity that brought the entire student body together in a shared commitment to healthy living.

In the days leading up to Red Ribbon Week, every student at Centre Avenue received a blank puzzle piece to decorate. Each grade level worked from specific prompts designed to help students reflect on the importance of making positive choices. The project allowed young learners to express their understanding of drug prevention through art while reinforcing the week's central message.

Once students completed their individual pieces, the true magic of the project emerged. The decorated puzzle pieces were assembled into complete, grade-wide puzzles that transformed individual creativity into collective statements. These finished puzzles now stand as vibrant testaments to the students' artistic talents and their dedication to making healthy choices.