SCHOOLS KICK OFF DRUG-FREE WEEK.

Byline: Tere Marshall Daily News Staff Writer

Schools all over the Santa Clarita Valley are celebrating Red Ribbon Week, the national drug-abuse awareness campaign challenging students to be drug and alcohol free.

Castaic Middle School held an early celebration of the national Say No To Drugs campaign, a three-day program that started Monday under the direction of Donna Lloyd, chairwoman of the Parent Teacher Student Association.

The Castaic students set up a variety of displays with the theme, ``Alternatives to Drugs and Choices For Life.''

The campaign began when FBI Special Agent Enrique Camarena was murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico in 1985. Red ribbons are worn to symbolize the war on drugs.

Monday's exhibits included Sky Dancers, Air Puppets and flying tubes, and a standing exhibit titled ``Past, Present and Future.''

Participants included Dan Aaseth and Kenny Zahrt of Red Line Racing, who brought top hydro and flatbottom race boats; Jim Hix of Dominator Motorsports, who brought a customized racing van; and Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies involved with the Substance Abuse Narcotics Education, displayed a Camaro race car.

Don Bertz of Don's Upholstery and Bob Hertz donated a customized school banner for the event; Lisa Burke of North American Vending, drove an mini-car; and two brokers from Realty Executives supplied red ribbons and other campus decorations. Also involved were Nicole Ornclus and Deanna Rivetti, Miss Santa Clarita 1997 and her predecessor, respectively; and Samantha Ford, a champion softball pitcher and Hart High School graduate, now teaching in the area.

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and the California Highway Patrol presented an exhibit titled ``A Look Into the Future.'' Several 1997 Valencia High School graduates represented soccer, cheerleading, baseball, football, volleyball and track for their display titled, ``Get Up and Get Moving.''

CANYON COUNTRY - Canyon Springs School, in observance of Red Ribbon Week, is collecting ``a quarter-mile of quarters.'' The change collected from students, teachers and neighbors will go toward lining a quarter-mile around the school block at 9:30 a.m. Friday. The money will be donated to the Just Say No Club at Canyon Springs.

Mountainview Elementary School students will line up at 11 a.m. Oct. 29 on the playground to spell out ``Drug Free.'' A photographer aboard a sheriff's helicopter will take their picture.

CANYON COUNTRY - Canyon High School students will wear red wristbands and vie for prizes at Friday's Red Ribbon Rally.

Other schools in the Santa Clarita Valley will be showing their support for Red Ribbon Week with various programs and by wearing red ribbons throughout the week.