DAPHNE, Ala. — The Drug Education Council of The United Way on Monday will praise students from 138 Mobile and Baldwin County schools for their community service projects.

Close to 900 people are expected to attend the eighth annual Superintendents Red Ribbon Leadership Awards Program at the Daphne Civic Center. The council pays for the students, parents and principals to attend the “Olympic-style ceremony,” spokesperson Denise D’Oliveira said.

This year’s theme is “I Have a Dream” in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s coming birthday and his relationship to community service, according to a news release.

One student from each public and private school was chosen by the council to lead events at their school during Red Ribbon Week, the last week in October, Virginia Guy, council executive director, said. Red Ribbon Week allows students to learn preventive measures and about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

“It’s a national drug and alcohol awareness week. We teach kids to be responsible and to not become buyers to propagate drug dealers,” Guy said.

Each student chose a school-wide or community project, which they completed over the Christmas holidays. The projects included peer counseling, breast cancer awareness, and fundraising for Camp Smile, a camp for visually-impaired children, Guy said. Projects were judged by a volunteer group of educators. Criteria included the impact on the child that did the project and what he or she learned from it.

Monday’s ceremony will honor these students for their hard work and dedication to others. Students will receive recognition from Mobile, Baldwin, and Catholic school superintendents. High school seniors will be eligible to share $6,000 in scholarship funds. The council will award four $1,000 scholarships and four $500 scholarships on Monday night, D’Oliveira said.

SEE THE JAN. 12 DAPHNE BULLETIN FOR THE NAMES OF ALL BALDWIN COUNTY SCHOOLS STUDENTS WHO WILL BE RECOGNIZED MONDAY.