Red Ribbon Week is a time when students across the country take a stand for healthy, drug-free living—but at Reiffton School, Health and Physical Education teacher Mrs. Jen Dorta made sure the week was about much more than just wearing red ribbons. Through a series of engaging, hands-on lessons, she brought this year’s national theme, “Life is a Puzzle; Solve It Drug Free,” to life in meaningful and memorable ways.

Throughout the week, students participated in physical education stations designed to empower them to make strong, healthy choices. Activities, such as walking across a balance beam, encouraged balance, focus, and perseverance--skills that mirror the everyday decisions students face as they choose to live drug free. She also created a schoolwide scavenger hunt filled with clues and facts about how drugs and alcohol can harm both mental and physical health. Each time students solved a clue, they earned a puzzle piece. When all the pieces were collected, students came together to assemble a giant Exeter Eagle puzzle, a powerful reminder that every positive choice contributes to a stronger, healthier community. The theme also carried into art class, where students signed their own individual puzzle pieces that now form a colorful bulletin board outside the gym. Together, each signature represents a unique and important part of the Reiffton family and serves as a visual reminder of the year’s national theme that when everyone does their part by making healthy, drug-free choices, the pieces align into a meaningful, successful life.