The Towamensing Elementary School Student Council kicked off Red Ribbon Week on Monday to remind students to make healthy choices and not use drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

The school has participated in Red Ribbon Week for more than 19 years, according to Jodi Kocher, the school counselor.Each child received a red ribbon to wear along with their red clothing on Monday. Every day of the week is a different theme with Tuesday as Crazy Hair Day, Wednesday is Jersey/Sports Day, Thursday is Pink Day to support breast cancer awareness, and Friday will be the school's Halloween activities.On opening day of Red Ribbon Week, about 50 to 60 percent of the children remembered to wear red, said Stacey Olewine, a reading specialist.Many of the children also donated 50 cents for the VALOR clinic, a home for veterans in need in Jonas."The kids thought it would be nice to donate to them since Veterans Day is coming up," Olewine said.In addition to the theme days, the children also had an opportunity to win prizes on Monday, Kocher said. Four red ribbons in each class were marked and the lucky children to receive them won a prize, she explained. The prizes included band bracelets, pencils and bookmarks with inspirational and positive messages on them.The student council organizes spirit days every month, as well as activities to help the community.Among these are food drives for the Palmerton food bank, a Christmas giving tree and the council visits the residents of Renee's Personal Care Home in Palmerton. The council consists of children in third through sixth grade. There are two representatives from each homeroom that were elected by their class, Kocher said.