Central Texas College (CTC) is asking students and employees to take the pledge to be drug-free when it kicks off Red Ribbon Week on Monday, October 28. The entire week will be dedicated to reminding the CTC community of the dangers of drug and alcohol use through several campus events and awareness activities.

Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 10 a.m. on October 28 in the Anderson Campus Center (Bldg. 156). Keynote speaker will be Susan Wagener of Family Development and Resource Management – Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. She will discuss the myths/facts of alcohol use, effects of alcohol, signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning and the laws pertaining to alcohol abuse. Other presentations that morning will be from representatives of the Fort Hood Army Substance Abuse Program, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Cove House.

Wagener will also provide a passenger safety and distract driving simulator which will enable students to experience the dangers of texting while driving as well as driving under the influence. In addition, Curtis Liles of Geo-Center Motorcycle Training will also be on hand to discuss, display and distribute “Riding Straight” materials. He will also set up a motorcycle simulator to provide students the “experience” of driving a motorcycle after alcohol consumption.

On Tuesday, CTC campus police officers will hold a demonstration of field sobriety tests using impairment “drunk goggles” which simulate various levels of intoxication. Students will wear the goggles while maneuvering a pedaled vehicle through a series of traffic cones or while walking a straight line.

The rest of the week includes presentations by the CTC Mental Health Student Club which will address chemical dependency and the Fort Hood Army Substance Abuse Program which will present a mini workshop on alcohol, prescription drug abuse, the effects of marijuana and other illegal narcotics. Free and confidential HIV testing will be provided by Central Texas Support Services.

All students, employees and campus visitors are asked to wear red ribbons the entire week in support of being drug and alcohol-free.

The CTC Red Ribbon Week is hosted by the campus Substance Abuse Resource Center which provides free and confidential assessment, referrals and short-term counseling to both students and employees in the areas of substance abuse prevention measures and education, anxiety/stress management, personal loss/grievance, relationship issues, depression management and more.