ARCpoint Labs Launches Education Initiative and Contest for “Red Ribbon Week”
GREENVILLE, S.C. (PRWEB) October 05, 2016 -- ARCpoint Labs, a national leader in drug testing and wellness services with nearly 100 franchise locations across the country, is joining forces with National Family Partnership to further drug prevention education and advocacy during the annual Red Ribbon Week, taking place October 23 – October 31. Founded in 1985, Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation, reaching millions of young people every year. This year’s National Red Ribbon Week theme is YOLO. Be Drug Free.® National Family Partnership is launching a Red Ribbon Photo Contest encouraging families and schools to decorate their homes and schools with the iconic red ribbon and the YOLO. Be Drug Free.® message. Winners receive an iPad and $1000 for a local K-12 school.
As a sign of their commitment to youth drug prevention education and advocacy within the cities they serve, ARCpoint Labs will also be offering a separate $1000 prize for a school entry from an ARCpoint Labs-served market.
“We pride ourselves on our work to be a positive influence in the communities we serve, and particularly our work to make sure that children understand the risks involved with drug and alcohol use,” said Felix Mirando, chief executive officer of ARCpoint Labs. “Every day we see firsthand the negative impacts of drug and alcohol abuse. It’s important that children are educated on the risks and understand how to avoid a path that can hurt their future.”
To participate in the Red Ribbon Photo Contest, pictures must be uploaded to http://www.redribbon.org. You must be 18 years old to enter, so parents (or for school entries, school staff or PTA members) must submit the photos. Winners will be determined by the number of votes they get on the Red Ribbon website. Last year, more than 255,000 votes were cast in the online photo contest. Entries will be accepted between October 1 through November 2.
The Red Ribbon Campaign® was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign® is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug free America. National Family Partnership estimates that more than 80 million people participate in Red Ribbon Week activities and events each year.
“We are thrilled to launch our Annual National Red Ribbon Photo Contest in homes, schools and communities across America,” says Peggy Sapp, President of the National Family Partnership. “We are very grateful to ARCpoint Labs for their participation this year and for their demonstrated commitment to helping kids grow up safe, healthy and drug free.”
Education is a cornerstone of the ARCpoint Labs model, and the brand is offering the following ideas to parents about how to talk about drug and alcohol abuse with their children during Red Ribbon Week and beyond.
• Look For Teachable Moments – As you’re going about your day, seek out opportunities to point out real life situations that can be used to spark an educational conversation. For example, witnessing a group of teens drinking or using drugs can be a time when a parent can discuss why it is wrong and how to address similar situations in which they may find themselves in the future. Also, news headlines, movie and TV plotlines, and music are all examples of places you can find examples to open a dialogue.
ARCpointer: If you notice something going on in your neighborhood while in the presence of your teen, take this time to discuss the negative effects that drugs and alcohol can have on your body and relationships. You can also use news stories as a way to provide a real life example of what can go wrong, as well as open up discussions based on things seen on TV or movies, or in the lyrics of songs.
• Find the Right Time to Talk and Come with a Plan – Make sure the conversation is focused between you and your teen. Know what you are going to say and establish what you want to accomplish from the conversation.
ARCpointer: Choose times that are already designated for serious discussion or reflection. For example, after dinner or before bed are times when teens are starting to wind down and have fewer distractions.
• Keep the Conversation Positive – When talking to your children about drugs, make sure they are aware that it is coming from a place of love and not a scare tactic. By presenting it in a positive manner, they will know they can talk to you about the topic.
ARCpointer: Focus on your concern for their health and well-being. Tell them you are trying to help them make good decisions by sharing information that they might not already know.
• Don’t Come with a Solution, Have Your Teen Think of One – When your teen comes to you with a question or brings up a real life incident, don’t immediately accuse or reprimand. Have your teen assess the situation and come up with a way the situation could have been handled differently.
ARCpointer: As a way to maintain a comfortable environment, ask things like, “What do you think should have been done differently?” Also, be sure to show understanding and say, “That sounds like a difficult situation. How did you feel about it?” Ask them things that give them room to participate.
• Practice Patience – If it comes to a point in the conversation where you can’t speak positively, leave the situation and come back to it the next day.
ARCpointer: Listen with respect and show encouragement. Repeat and summarize what your teen said to give you time to process and come up with the best way to handle the situation. Respond to the conversation with something like, “So what you’re saying is…”
For more information on ARCpoint Labs, visit http://arcpointlabs.com/. You can also find the brand on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ARCpointFranchiseGroup, follow ARCpoint Labs on Twitter at twitter.com/arcpointfg, and connect on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/arcpoint-franchise-group.
About ARCpoint Labs
ARCpoint Labs is a Greenville, S.C.-based full-service national third-party provider/administrator providing Accurate, Reliable, and Confidential drug, alcohol, DNA and steroid testing, employment/background and wellness screening and corporate wellness programs. After the success he saw with his own drug screening facility in 1998, 17-year industry expert Felix Mirando saw the growth potential of the brand and founded ARCpoint Franchise Group LLC in 2005. ARCpoint Labs has become one of the fastest growing, and most flexible models in the franchise industry behind the leadership of Mirando, the brand’s chief executive officer, and the corporate team of experts he has assembled in order to stay ahead of trends in the space and constantly look for new revenue streams to benefit existing franchisees and attract new qualified operators to the system. There are nearly 100 ARCpoint Labs locations across the country with plans to grow to 325 franchise locations nationwide by 2020. ARCpoint Franchise Group is proud to have landed on Entrepreneur's "Franchise 500" in 2016. The brand was also recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in both 2016 and 2014, and is nationally recognized as a member of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) and Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association (SAPAA). For more information on ARCpoint Labs, visit http://arcpointlabs.com/. For franchising opportunities, please visit http://arcpointlabsfranchise.com/.
About National Family Partnership
National Family Partnership, formerly the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth, was established as a grassroots, nonprofit organization in 1980 by a handful of concerned and determined parents who were convinced they should begin to play a leadership role in drug prevention. Since its founding thirty-six years ago, NFP has devoted its efforts to the well-being of youth. Today, NFP is a national leader in drug prevention education & advocacy. NFP’s mission is to lead and support our nation’s families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug free youth. NFP founded and continues to sponsor the National Red Ribbon Campaign® as well as the Lock Your Meds® Campaign.
Lauren Boukas, No Limit Agency, http://www.nolimitagency.com, +1 (312) 526-3996, [email protected]
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