Georgia children celebrated for living drug free

ATLANTA—The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) hosted an awards ceremony for winners of the 2014 Red Ribbon Week competition on March 30, 2015 at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

DBHDD Commissioner Frank Berry and Atlanta Dream star DeLisha Milton-Jones spoke to nearly 200 students, teachers and community activists about the importance of committing at an early age to avoid drug use. DBHDD staff presented awards to schools and organizations for their outstanding efforts to educate their communities about living drug free and making healthy lifestyle choices. Factory Shoals Elementary School in Lithia Springs was the overall winner of the department’s statewide competition.


Travis Fretwell (left), DBHDD’s director of behavioral health prevention, presents award to students and staff at Factory Shoals Elementary School. Photo credit: Cliff Robinson Photography.

Winners and honorable mentions were also named in the following categories: 

Elementary School
Winner:Factory Shoals Elementary School (Lithia Springs)
Honorable Mention:Hambrick Elementary School (Stone Mountain)
Middle/High School
Winner:Druid Hills Middle School (Decatur)
Non-school Organization
Winner:Gwinnett United in Drug Education (GUIDE), Inc. Youth Advisory Board (Lawrenceville)
Honorable Mentions:Clinic for the Education, Treatment, and Prevention of Addiction (CETPA) (Norcross)
 Cobb Alcohol Taskforce (Marietta)
 Bulloch County Alcohol & Drug Council (Statesboro)

The Red Ribbon campaign is a year-round, national initiative that promotes drug-free lifestyles to youth and adults. Red Ribbon Week is celebrated annually from October 23-31. For more information about Red Ribbon efforts in Georgia, contact (404) 463-8035 or [email protected].

Contact Information:

Angelyn Dionysatos, Press Secretary; [email protected], (404) 463-8035