Pulaski Street School students marched through downtown Riverhead Friday as Riverhead Community Awareness Program held its 39th annual Say No to Drugs March, an June tradition celebrating healthy choices and substance-use prevention education.
The march brought together fifth- and sixth-graders, at the school, which participates in Riverhead CAP’s school-based prevention program, along with school officials, elected officials, CAP volunteers, high school peer leaders, members of the Riverhead Youth Coalition and families. The students assembled after the march for a rally on the Pulaski Street School’s lawn.
Superintendent of Schools Bob Hagen told the students they will always have the support of Riverhead’s teachers and staff and the community at large.
“Take a look how many people are here to support all of you,” Hagan said. “When you think about the things that you are going to have to make decisions about, just remember, we’re always here,” he said. “We’re here as a community to help you. We are here for you, no matter what. You can always come to us, and we will guide you in the right direction,” he said.
Hagan introduced this year’s honoree, the Rev. Cynthia Liggon, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Riverhead and an alumna of the Riverhead school district.
Liggon told the students she wanted them to think about what it means to be “fully alive.”
“To be fully alive,” she said, means being “fully present,” “fully aware,” filled with “purpose and potential” and “authentically you.”
Liggon urged the students to hold on to their own sense of self as they grow older and face more difficult choices.
“Every day you choose to be you and not who someone else wants you to be,” Liggon said. “Being fully alive means that your purpose, your potential is more important than the pressure of peers to do anything that robs you of that purpose and of that potential.”
Saying no to drugs, she said, is part of protecting that future.
“Drugs not only kill your hopes and dreams, they kill your true right-now moments,” Liggon said. “Right-now moments to achieve, right-now moments, even at this early age, to be great at whatever you choose to do.”
Liggon asked the students to stand and repeat after her: “It is my right to be fully alive.”
“I challenge you to be fully alive every single day,” she said. “Let nothing stop you from reaching your goals.”
The rally also included remarks from local officials, recognition of CAP’s work in the schools and comments from Riverhead High School peer leaders, who spoke to the younger students about decision-making, resisting peer pressure and staying away from drugs, alcohol, tobacco and vaping.
Students were also recognized in the CAP art contest, whose theme this year was “Healthy Choices Help Me Reach Goals.”
Pulaski Street School officials said the march has become more than a tradition over nearly four decades. It is a community celebration of students’ commitment to making healthy decisions and building positive futures.
RiverheadLOCAL reporting and photos by Peter Blasl
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