This year, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district participated in Think Purple Week from April 7 to April 11. This week, originally created by SPF’s very own PTA, is a time to educate students and bring awareness to substance abuse.
Inspired by the 1986 Hands Across America demonstration, which raised awareness to fight homelessness and hunger across the country, the SPF PTA developed a chemical dependency awareness program in 1987, creating a Hands Across Scotch Plains event. This was an event where students held hands with purple ribbon, making a line that continued across town.
“I was a student at Terrill Middle School at the time, and I remember lining up and joining hands to raise awareness and encourage others to make healthy decisions. Since then, Think Purple Week has been an integral part of our district’s drug and alcohol education program,” Special Education teacher Kelly Robertson said.
Starting as a way for the SPF district to have an anti-drug awareness program during the spring, Think Purple Week ended up blooming into a unique tradition in the community, meaning something different for each individual.
“I think that Think Purple can have the potential to serve as a reminder of the impact that impulsive, in-the-moment decisions can end up leading to a much more difficult path down the road,” SPFHS Student Assistance Specialist Richard Dorry said.
This year, the SPF district participated in Think Purple Week through different events and activities. Throughout the actual week, decorations of purple and different purple supplies such as pens and pencils were spread throughout the schools. Elementary school students helped to create purple heart messages that will later be gifted to graduating seniors.
Spreading the Think Purple message did not just start or end within the week. The high school has held multiple assemblies throughout the year to encourage good decision making and educate students on the impact of letting impulsive decisions win. Through these assemblies the high school hopes to promote a common, positive message.
“The message I’d like to promote is that, to me, Think Purple goes beyond just ‘Don’t Do Drugs’. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the decisions we make, and if they align with our overall goals in life in order to promote a healthy, fun and fulfilling life,” Dorry said.
For SPF, the goal of Think Purple Week is to promote awareness on substance abuse and teach students about its consequences.
“We want the students to know that the staff throughout the Scotch Plains-Fanwood schools are there to support and encourage all students to make healthy and substance-free lifestyle choices,” Robertson said.
