Although they faced obstacles, the Wylie PALS made sure that students learned a lot about being drug-free during Red Ribbon Week.

Wylie has celebrated Red Ribbon Week for decades, and it has played a very important role for young students in the community. In the last week of October, children are educated on just how important it is to be drug and alcohol free, and the Wylie PALS play a large role in this. For many years now, the group of high schoolers comes and visits the Intermediate school to put on a series of fun, educational skits about being drug and alcohol free. The skits are loved by the younger students, and the PALS look forward to performing them every year.

However, this year things did not go according to plan. Because of Covid-19, it was decided that the high schoolers would not be able to perform their skits for the younger kids. Although they were disappointed at first, the PALS quickly began to brainstorm ways that they could educate students about Red Ribbon Week in a safe way. They decided that instead of doing the skits in person, they would record each skit in the Performing Arts Center and create a video that would be sent out to multiple schools in the Wylie District.

On October 21, The PALS spent all day recording in the PAC. There were a total of ten skits that covered a variety of topics, including peer pressure, the dangers of drugs, and how your future can fall apart because of alcohol. Wylie junior Isabella Trahan says she enjoyed the process of educating the students. “I really hope that the students remember these skits, at least for awhile,” Trahan says. “These skits are funny to them, and our goal is for each one to stick with them.” Senior Emma Lowry agrees. “I think it’s important to teach the young kids the negative effects of drugs and alcohol to make them more aware early on,” she says. “The more aware they are, the better off they will be in the future”.

As well as recording their skits, the PALS used this opportunity to get to know one another and to bond as a group. During a regular school day, the PALS are separated by what grades they are in, seniors have a class during sixth period and the juniors have one during seventh. However, while they were recording, both grades came together and got to know each other a little bit more. “It was really cool seeing how confident the seniors were,” Trahan says. “They looked like they were enjoying every second of it.” Lowry says she also enjoyed spending time with her fellow PALS. “It was great to work with the juniors since we haven’t really been able to see each other,” she says. “I really enjoyed it!”

This year has been a difficult one for many people, but the Wylie PALS made it clear that even 2020 couldn’t stop them. Although it might have been a bit different than usual, they found a way to make Red Ribbon Week fun and educational for hundreds of students across the Wylie District. The PALS truly showed that with dedication and teamwork, good things will happen.