Red Ribbon Week brings millions of people together to raise awareness of the need to prevent abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs as well as violence at home, school, among peers and in the community.

Red Ribbon Week began after the 1985 kidnapping, torture and brutal murder of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel.

In Camarena's home town of Calexico, Calif., the community responded to his death by wearing red ribbons. That public outpouring became a voice for drug prevention in order to reduce the demand for illegal drugs and illegal use of legal drugs in the United States.

In 1988, Red Ribbon Week was recognized nationally. In Pahrump, it is supported by the Nye County Coalition and WestCare Nevada's Prevention Program.

During the Oct. 28 presentation at Pahrump Valley High School, the student actors threw T-shirts to the audience printed with this year's Red Ribbon Week's theme of "Dream, Believe, Achieve, Succeed."

A WestCare spokesperson said it was "in the hope of inspiring young people and reminding adults that families, caretakers and school administrators must work every day to support the skills and competencies that each young person needs in his or her life in order to prevent drug abuse and violence."

She also said important factors in young people's lives that help them to resist the pressure to join others trying drugs or participating in violence against others are caring relationships and high expectations.