This week, northern Wake schools made their pledge to stay off drugs. Schools celebrated Red Ribbon Week. Throughout the week, kids were encouraged to wear red clothing to signal their commitment and some schools held parades to raise awareness of the event.

The first Red Ribbon Week celebration was organized in 1988 in honor of Enrique Camarena, an agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Camarena was killed while investigating drug traffickers.

Red Ribbon Week ends Tuesday. For more information, visit redribbonsources.com.

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Congratulations and good luck to five northern Wake seniors who made it to semi-finalists status of the annual National Achievement Scholarship.

An arm of the National Merit Scholarship Program, the Achievement Scholarship Program, was started in 1964 to honor African-American students.

The semi-finalists are: Breanna Freeman and Autumn Green of Wakefield High School; Dnae Henderson of Millbrook High School; Maxwell Vivian of Sanderson High School and Joshua Hankins of Wake Forest-Rolesville.

The students were among more than 1,600 African-American students recognized nationally, according to a news release from Wake County schools.

These students will compete for 800 Achievement Scholarship awards.

To advance, the students need to have an outstanding high school record, be recommended by their school principal and earn high scores on the PSAT and the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test Performance.

Students also have to fill out an application about their leadership abilities and community activities.

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Parents interested in attending Brooks Museum Magnet Elementary School, 700 Northbrook Drive, can now schedule a time to visit the school.

Tours will be held Nov. 8, Nov. 29, Dec. 13 and Jan. 10.

During the tour, parents learn about the school's magnet program and ask questions.

Brooks is known for its Morning Meetings. The Morning Meetings are a time when students are greeted and have mini conversations with their teachers before jumping in to classwork.

To schedule a tour, call 881-1350 or visit the school's Web site at www.brookses.wcpss.net.

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Here are a few Web sites that give some Halloween safety tips:

* www.redcross.org,

* www.sosnet.com, and

* www.halloween-safety.com.