steps of City Hall.

And for the remainder of the week a number of activities are scheduled as PRIDE (Parent Resource Institute for Drug Education) continues its fight to educate the community, teens and young people in particular, about the dangers of drug and alcohol use and abuse.

"It is a time of year when we ask Bermuda to celebrate the wish for the community to live positive, healthy lifestyles so that we can have more positive, healthy families,'' said Patricia Pogson, programme director at PRIDE.

The charity `rocked' into the Red Ribbon campaign last Tuesday night (8.00) on Front Street with two pre-Red Ribbon events, when, with the blessing of the Corporation of Hamilton, they put a rocking chair at the flagpole and began rocking for a 24-hour period.

People were able to sign up for half-hour rocking stints, with funds raised for the upcoming Youth Leadership Summit from November 30 to December 3 at Bermuda College. The target was $4,000.

The Red Ribbon campaign is sponsored by Belco, The Bank of Bermuda, Argus, Fidelity Investments and Stocton Re.

Other activities include a "Hand Print'' Promise Day in the schools today when students are encouraged to commit themselves to prevention and commit themselves to living a healthy, positive lifestyle.

Tomorrow students are encouraged to reach out and show kindness to someone else during "Environmental Change Day''.

On Wednesday the community is urged to show support for the Red Ribbon Campaign by wearing something red during the day. Students will take pride in their environment by cleaning up the area surrounding their school.

Activities continue on Thursday with youth members of PRIDE hosting the "Celebrating Life Drug Free School Rally'' when students are invited to have some fun at Bernard Park from 3.30 to 5.30 p.m. and show their support of living drug free. Parents are invited to participate.

On Friday, students, teachers and school administrators are invited to take part in the Red Ribbon Candlelight Walk from the Cabinet Building at 6.00 p.m.

Also on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, people of all faiths are asked to pray that the children will be drug free and safe.

The PRIDE programme is in 20 of the Island's schools, with nine others interested in starting a programme, said Ms Pogson.

The youth programmes in the schools include PRIDE Pals, an innovative drug prevention programme for elementary school students, Club PRIDE which is the second level and involves middle school students aged 11 to 13.

Club PRIDE's goal is to educate students about the seriousness of drug abuse and provide them with the needed skills to make positive decisions. PRIDE Youth to Youth is aimed at reaching high school students and is the third level of PRIDE's drug education programme.

Through song, dance, drama and educational events, children in the Youth to Youth programme spread the message that drugs don't work.

Phase II is also being launched for Bermuda College students who face different types of challenges.

"Just from the Club alone there are somewhere between 200 to 250 students,'' explained Ms Pogson, fondly known as `Aunt Poggie' by the students.

In total there are about 300 children actively involved in the PRIDE programme. Recently there were 52 people auditioning for the performance team, 18 of them boys. Ms Pogson confirmed there are more girls than boys in the programme.

"As an organisation we are constantly asked how do we reach and involve the youth who are at risk,'' said Ms Pogson.

"Our answer is this, we don't look for them, they find us. It is a warm compliment when members of the public state that our children always seem well behaved and have no issues. We'd like to thank them because that means that we are really doing our job and doing it well.

"The performance and specialty team allows youth to have a set of expectations and standards to live by. Our organisation is about the development of the whole person. We incorporate the performing arts because we recognise its value in team building, communication, critical thinking and promoting originality.

"The most exciting thing to watch is how the youth team the youth as they develop these skills.'' The PRIDE programme also targets parents of children and they have a Parents executive board whose responsibility is for fund raising for the two trips of the year, the PRIDE International Conference when countries from all over the world share prevention skills and the Youth to Youth Conference which takes place every July when children get to be around other children.

There are some 45 consistent volunteers with PRIDE, not including the parents who also serve as volunteers. PRIDE is funded by the National Drug Commission and the Council Partners.