Lely students say boo to drugs

With the Lely High School Band leading the long line of small children, Sophia and her friends wore red and marched for the final event capping off Red Ribbon week, designed to teach youngsters the dangers of drugs.

Back at Lely, underneath large white tents, the public address system pumping out the song "Who Let the Dogs Out," Sophia explained what she was doing that day.

"We went to college," said the 8-year-old in ponytails. "We were walking because we don't want to do drugs. Drugs can be good or bad: those damage your brain."

Her friend Jennifer Quintero agreed.

"I don't want to do drugs," she said. "I don't want to lose all my hard work by being brain damaged."

The girls' teacher stood nearby, encouraging them.

"I let them know you may not die but drugs can give you brain damage," said Cathy MacDonald, who had taped a sign to her chest reading, "If You Take Drugs, They'll Take You." "You don't want to scare them but you have to let them know people can die from taking drugs."

The event really got started once music teacher Craig Greusel started strumming his guitar to a school song.

"What can one little person do to help this world?" the hundreds of youngsters sang and clapped. "One can help another one, and together, we can get the job done."