Watch: Red Ribbon Rally Panel Discussion

Prior to the 2019 Red Ribbon Rally, Rich Lucey, a senior prevention program manager in the DEA’s Community Outreach and Prevention Support Section, hosted a panel discussion with three people from different perspectives -- a parent leader, a college student, and a high school student.

Topics discussed included: the importance of celebrating Red Ribbon Week, the challenges surrounding youth drug prevention, why encouraging individuality is essential, and much more.

Guests on the panel:

Sharona Robinson – Parent Teacher Student Association President at Washington, DC’s Ballou High School. Sharona has also served on a variety of education committees, including the Chancellor’s Parent Cabinet and the DC Advisory Committee on Student Assignment, and is a community action team coordinator for Wards 7 & 8. 

William Payne – senior at McLean High School in McLean, Virginia. William is known as a passionate anti-drug and anti-alcohol leader at his school. He's also an Eagle Scout and, after a two-year church mission trip, he plans to attend Brigham Young University after graduation. 

September Johnson – graduate student at the Boston University School of Public Health with a concentration in Community Assessment, Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation. September has a strong interest in work and research in the fields of substance use, harm reduction, sexual health, and HIV/AIDS.

Watch the discussion below.