DAPHNE, Ala.—Red Ribbon Leadership Award winners were honored Monday with a dinner at the Daphne Civic Center.

Close to 1,000 parents and teachers watched students from Baldwin and Mobile counties receive gold medals on stage from their superintendent, in keeping with the celebration’s theme, “One World, One Dream,” inspired by last summer’s Olympic Games.

Award winners performed community service projects in their areas such as: conducting food drives, bringing animal supplies to shelters and writing a drug awareness book.

Daphne students who were honored include:

“A person is a leader when they have the ability to influence others, Faron Hollinger, superintendent of Baldwin County Public Schools, said.

“Leadership traits include courage, tenacity, good ethics and good character,” he said.

“To our honorees, we congratulate you; to our parents, we commend you.”

Sixth-grader Aimee Hadley of Stapleton Elementary led the Pledge of Allegiance and ninth-grader Hunter Beasley of Daphne High sang the national anthem.

Each fall, Red Ribbon Week is celebrated across the country to promote the importance of a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

The Red Ribbon program is sponsored by the Drug Education Council, a United Way agency that provides substance abuse prevention and intervention.