For their second year of observing Drug Awareness Week, the China Grove Red Devils filled the gym to hear from Gil McGregor, former Wake Forest basketball player and current broadcast analyst for the Charlotte Hornets.

“I understand that between the grades of six and eight, that’s an interesting time,” McGregor told the crowd. “I do remember being in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. I remember being the tallest guy in the class.

He described his big ears, his glasses: “Four eyes they called me.” McGregor asked all the kids who were 15 or older to raise their hands.

Sporadic hands went up on the crowd. “Give them a hand for not dropping out of school,” McGregor said. “It is hard to be one of the oldest kids in the class.”

“You need to work on being yourself. Staying away from drugs will help you be yourself,” he said.

Some Catawba College cheerleaders helped get the students energized by involving them in “Say no to drugs” cheers.

Students from the crowd joined the cheerleaders jumping, kicking, clapping and dancing.

Since Monday, the school has held drug awareness activities like wearing orange day-glow bracelets that say “Drug free for the new Century.” By Thursday a majority of the students were still proudly wearing their bracelets.