Herren Project Club Spotlight
For over forty years, Tigard High School has supported the Tigard community by preventing underage substance use and, more recently, promoting positive youth mental wellness. They began STUDD — a Herren Project Club — in 2019, focusing on reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors that support healthy decisions and behaviors among young people. Read more to learn about the positive impact they have had on their community.
Since its beginnings in 1982, Tigard Turns the Tide has grown from a grassroots movement into a community nonprofit focused on youth prevention. Their mission is to engage all sectors of the Tigard community to build positive futures for youth. The coalition works to build resiliency, promote mental wellness, and prevent underage drinking and drug use so young people can reach their full potential.
Sparked by founder and STUDD advisor Connie Ramaekers’ advocacy, the organization mobilized parents, launched one of Oregon’s first drug- and alcohol-free Grad Nights, and built partnerships with schools to create prevention programs. By 1989, Tigard Turns the Tide became a certified nonprofit, expanding throughout the 1990s and 2000s with continued grant support.
National recognition followed in 2007, and by 2023 the group secured funding to launch the evidence-based Communities That Care program. In 2024, Tigard Turns the Tide entered Phase Two of that process and appointed its first executive director, marking a new chapter for the organization.
Red Ribbon Week: A Celebration of Healthy Choices
Connie shared that they had many events planned for the year to promote prevention and wellness within their community and beyond. This fall, STUDD — a Herren Project Club — kicked off the school year with Red Ribbon Week, a national campaign that celebrates living drug-free. They started with Pledge Day, where more than three hundred students signed a promise to make healthy choices. The energy spread across the district — club members spoke at a Tigard-Tualatin School District meeting, where officials officially declared October 23–31 as Red Ribbon Week.
The celebration continued at the Tigard vs. Tualatin football game. STUDD hosted a booth with activities and giveaways, and even the superintendent stopped by to show support. Students completed the Herren Project Word Scramble for Red Ribbon Week, and teachers and staff joined in by posing for a Red Ribbon photo op to show they stand with students in promoting healthy living. The week wrapped up with a Mental Health Hope Rally, where students and community members came together to share messages of hope, support, and connection.
Connie shared that they are also looking forward to celebrating other events such as Wellness Week with Herren, National Drug Facts Week, and Mental Health Awareness Month. The Tigard community goes above and beyond, year after year, to share prevention and wellness initiatives that are both fun and engaging for all involved.
For decades, the community at Tigard has worked to promote prevention and wellness efforts and has helped shape a culture of compassion, connection, and resilience. Through collaboration, education, and service, their students continue to lead by showing that small actions, taken together, can create lasting change. Everyone at Herren Project is grateful for the work they continue to do.
The STUDD Club Today
The members of STUDD work collaboratively to support prevention initiatives and encourage students to live substance-free lives. This year, ninety students have joined the club, each committed to being part of a positive force within their school and community. The group meets every other Friday morning before school to plan projects, organize outreach, and develop leadership skills.
The spirit of Tigard Turns the Tide has always been about more than prevention — it’s about caring for one another. For decades, Tigard families, schools, and students have worked together to build a culture of compassion and belonging. Every poster, pledge, and project has added to something larger: a community that looks out for its young people and gives them the tools to thrive.
Learn more about Herren Project Clubs and register to start a club at your school.
