Texas Border Business
ALAMO, Texas – In celebration of Red Ribbon Week, the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) hosted its 23rd PSJA Tri-City Red Ribbon Parade in collaboration with the cities of Pharr, San Juan, and Alamo. This year’s Parade was hosted in Alamo, TX, on October 26, 2024.
Red Ribbon Week is held annually in October. The campaign serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities, educate youth, and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.
The PSJA Tri-City Red Ribbon Parade officially kicked off the district’s week of Red Ribbon Week activities to raise awareness and promote the importance of living a drug-free life.
During the parade, over 30 parade floats decorated by PSJA schools and city partners honored this year’s National Red Ribbon Week theme, “Life is a Movie. Film Drug-Free.” Alongside campus band, cheer, and dance groups, students and staff showcased their floats as they paraded down Alamo Road for family and members of the community.
At the end of the parade route, representatives from Pharr, San Juan, and Alamo judged the creativity and message behind each float to name the winners of the PSJA ISD 2023 Red Ribbon Parade Float Contest. The PSJA ISD also held a Red Ribbon Poster Contest where one representative from each campus had the opportunity to showcase their creativity by designing an anti-drug message on a poster. The top three district winners were then invited to join their campus on their parade float.
| Congratulations to the following PSJA ISD Campuses and Poster Contest Winner: |
| Parade Float Elementary Division |
| 1st Place – Henry Ford Elementary |
| 2nd Place – Allen & William Arnold Elementary |
| 3rd Place – Graciela Garcia Elementary |
| Parade Float Secondary Division |
| 1st Place – LBJ Middle School |
| 2nd Place – Raul Yzaguirre Middle School |
| 3rd Place – PSJA Collegiate School of Health Professions |
| Poster Contest |
| Kelly-Pharr Elementary – Adalberto De La Rosa |
| Kennedy Middle School – Camila Granado |
| PSJA Early College High School – Kendra Lujan |
For Henry Ford Elementary student Sofia Pedraza, participating in the parade while also spreading an important message served as a reminder to continue making healthy choices to ensure a bright and successful future.
“Red Ribbon Week means a lot to me because it stands for staying healthy and making good choices,” said Sofia. “I learned that saying no to drugs is important for my future. It’s a reminder that I can be strong and support my friends in making smart decisions, too.”
Thanks to a committee comprised of district leaders, local law enforcement, and tri-city partners, the PSJA Community came together to celebrate saying no to drugs and emphasize the importance of making the correct choices even at a young age.
In addition to the parade, PSJA ISD will be hosting its 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat on Wednesday, October 28, 2024, at the PSJA Stadium North Parking lot to provide families and community members a space to safely collect Halloween candy while simultaneously bringing awareness to the importance of living a drug-free life.
