February 2026

Meet SAPCA's New Intern!

Please join us in welcoming SAPCA Intern Aliyah Thaxton! Aliyah began her semester-long internship last month and has already hit the ground running!

During her internship, Aliyah will help revise SAPCA’s communication plan by developing practical, ready-to-use tools and content that strengthen engagement with youth, families, and community partners, while supporting long-term prevention goals.

Aliyah is a student at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in Health Science. Throughout her college career, she developed a strong interest in using her knowledge to improve the American healthcare system, particularly for those most in need. This commitment to health and wellness has guided her path toward earning a Bachelor of Science. Driven by the concern of inequities within the healthcare system, Aliyah hopes to work in collaborative spaces where organizations come together to create meaningful community change. She is excited to support SAPCA while gaining hands-on experience at the local government level and applying her passion for improving community health. Aliyah enjoys gardening, baking, and spending time with family.

Welcome, Aliyah!

Prioritizing Prevention: Alexandria Youth Leaders Join City Staff at National Leadership Forum

Each year, youth and adult coalition members attend CADCA's National Leadership Forum, the largest training event for substance use and misuse prevention leaders interested in making a positive impact in their community.

Earlier this month, 14 Alexandria City High School (ACHS) youth leaders and five City staff members attended this event. Please join us in recognizing these prevention champions for coming together to learn about the latest strategies to fight substance use and bringing back their ideas to inform SAPCA's prevention efforts:

Youth leaders and City staff attended sessions focused on emerging trends in substance use, the cycle of addiction, the intersection of substance use and mental health, and the need for stronger local collaboration to effectively prevent youth substance use.

As the landscape of substance use challenges continues to shift and evolve, the need for up-to-date evidence-based research, resources, and strategies are paramount to making progress towards ensuring safe, healthy, and drug-free futures for our youth. As individuals and together as a community, we have the power to create positive, lasting change that can transform our communities to ensure that youth in Alexandria can thrive today, tomorrow, and in the future.

The Peer Advocates are a group of Alexandria youth who work closely with SAPCA, the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP), and the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center to support prevention and outreach efforts. Contact Leia Stuart to learn more.

The Peer Advisors mentor younger youth, give public presentations on prevention topics, and participate in community service projects. Through this afterschool leadership program, Peer Advisors also participate in trainings about peer pressure resistance skills, tobacco prevention, mediation, leadership, and public speaking. Contact Jennifer Ford to learn more.

The Youth Ambassadors are a group of high school students who prioritize violence prevention and conflict resolution among Alexandria youth. Contact Jasmine Coombs to learn more.

SAPCA Welcomes Mya Medrano to Board of Directors

SAPCA is excited to welcome ACHS senior Mya Medrano to the Board of Directors. Through her role as a Youth Ambassador, Mya advocates for herself and the needs of her peers. As a SAPCA Board member, Mya hopes to contribute meaningful ideas that will make a difference for her generation, past generations, and future generations in her community. Mya plans to pursue a career in politics and hopes to continue making a positive impact on her community.

Mya is excited about the Youth Ambassador's upcoming Valentine's Movie Night on February 13 at AMC Hoffman Center (206 Hoffman St.) Through this free event, Alexandria youth are invited to a free screening of Zootopia 2.  Before the movie, everyone will receive a red flag and a green flag. During the movie, participants are encouraged to raise their flags when they spot a relationship red flag or green flag.

For more information about the Valentine's Movie Night, including how to register for free tickets, click here or contact Jasmine Coombs at jasmine.coombs@alexandriava.gov.

Five Things You Should Know: Promoting Healthy Relationships

Did you know February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month? Explore these tips to help teens navigate friendships, dating, and everyday choices throughout February and year-round.

Respect and safety go together: Healthy relationships include clear boundaries, mutual respect, and decisions that support physical and emotional well-being.

Substance use impacts decision-making: Alcohol and other drugs can increase risk in social and dating situations. Talking through expectations and real-life scenarios helps teens prepare.

Practice ways to handle pressure: Help your teen think ahead about how they’ll respond to peer pressure -- whether related to dating, social media, or substance use.

Keep conversations ongoing: Short, regular check-ins can help teens feel supported and more confident making healthy choices.

Promote Resources and Supports: The City of Alexandria's Sexual Assault Center offers support to victims of sexual assault -- and their families and friends -- through crisis intervention, emotional support, counseling, and advocacy. Help is available 24/7 through the Sexual Assault Hotline (703.683.7273) and you do not need to be in immediate crisis to call.

Learn more about the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center and explore easy-to-share resources at alexandriava.gov/SexualViolence.

Volunteer Opportunities Spotlight: SAPCA Committees

Want to make a difference in your community? SAPCA is looking for youth and adults to join one or more of our SAPCA committees.

• Join the Fundraising Committee to help set fundraising goals and brainstorm fundraising strategies.
• Join the Policy and Advocacy Committee to learn how policies are made, share ideas, monitor Virginia legislation, and build advocacy skills.
• Join the Video Development and Production Committee to choose topics for new videos and help film, edit, and produce video

Interested in learning more? Complete our volunteer interest form or contact Emma Beall at emma.beall@alexandriava.gov.

Help Spread the Word: Virginia's Young Adult Survey

Virginia young adults ages 18-25 are invited to take the Virginia Young Adult Survey (YAS), a short, anonymous survey designed to better understand young adults’ needs and priorities. Input shared through the survey will help improve health and wellness programming for young adults across Virginia.

• The survey takes only 10–15 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous
• Some participants may be eligible to receive a small incentive, depending on availability. Participation is voluntary regardless of incentive availability.
• Text VIRGINIA to 844-484-7601 to get the survey link!

Your phone number is used only to send the link, is not connected to your responses, will not be used for marketing or any other purpose, and will be deleted from the system after the survey closes. If you don’t have access to a phone or prefer not to text, email YAS@omni.org to receive the survey link another way.

This statewide survey was developed in partnership with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and Omni Institute, a nonprofit organization working with coalitions across Virginia.

If you have any questions, please contact noraine.buttar@alexandriava.gov.

Quick Links

Celebrate Black History Month with the City of Alexandria

The City of Alexandria invites you to join us in a month-long celebration of Black History Month, featuring special events and activities that highlight the many ways Black communities have shaped our world. Black History Month is a time to reflect, celebrate, and recognize the rich history and contributions of Black and African Americans to the City of Alexandria and our nation.

Throughout the month of February, the City is sponsoring many exciting and engaging events for Black History Month. Whether you’re interested in art, music, history, literature, or community conversations, there’s something for everyone, including:

• February 8 - A Free Black History Month Concert: Singing the Journey: Still We Rise. Join Washington Revels Jubilee Voices and the Office of Historic Alexandria’s Division of African American History for a concert celebrating African American music, history, and culture in a concert exploring the themes of freedom, resilience, and joy, from the Civil War through the present day.
• February 21 - Black History Poetry Slam & Open Mic: Calling all poets, rappers, singers, and artists! Step up and share your voice as we celebrate Black History Month through powerful words, music, and expression. All performances must be clean and respectful. Let’s honor the legacy, uplift the culture, and inspire the future—one mic at a time.
• February 28 - Fight for the Right to Read Program: Join authors Jeff Gottesfeld and Michelle Y. Green along with illustrator and Howard University graduate Kim Holt, for a family program that highlights their new book; Fight for the Right to Read: Samuel Wilbert Tucker and the 1939 Sit-Down Stike for Library Reading Equality.

For more information about Black History Month events in the City of Alexandria, visit alexandriava.gov/BlackHistoryMonth.

Mark your Calendar for Upcoming Free Webinars

Check out these upcoming webinars focused on youth mental health, substance use, pressure, screens, and how different growing up looks today:

• February 11, 1 p.m. EST | The Mind-Risk Connection: How Mental Health can Influence Substance Use - register here.
• February 24, 6 p.m. ET | Behind the Buzz: Helping Kids Navigate Nicotine, Stress, and Mental Health with Dr. Jonathan Avery - register here.
• March 10, 1 p.m. EST | The State of Modern Youth: Navigating Screens, Substances and Pressures - register here.

These free webinars are hosted by Operation Parent and Parents Against Vaping.

Operation Parent is a national nonprofit that exists to empower parents and caregivers to fully engage in ongoing conversations with their children about technology, substance use, and mental health issues for purposes of prevention. Learn more at operationparent.org.

Parents Against Vaping is a grassroots community of passionate parents and concerned individuals committed to protecting children from the dangers of vaping and other flavored tobacco use. Learn more at parentsagainstvaping.org.

Enter the Teen Winter Creativity Contest!

Calling all artists and writers in grades 6-12: the Winter Teen Creativity Contest is back and better than ever! Enter your poem, short story, essay, 2D artwork, or 3D artwork for a chance to win up to $100! All participants will be recognized at the awards ceremony and gallery show opening in April 2025.

The contest runs through February 15, 2026. For more information, contest rules, and to enter, visit alexlibraryva.org/winter-creativity-contest.

Wizards Winter Reading Challenge 2026

The Washington Wizards and Alexandria Library challenge you to read, stay active, and get involved with the Wizards Winter Reading Challenge. Complete activities to earn badges. Earn the reading badge and at least one other badge to complete the challenge and win a prize, as well as a chance to win tickets to a Washington Wizards game!  Alexandria Library has everything you need to help you earn your Winter Challenge badges, including exciting reads for every age and interest, events, and opportunities to share online. 

The challenge runs from December 6, 2025, through March 1, 2026. Full contest details can be found at alexlibraryva.org/winter-reading. 

Call for Submissions: Public Humanities for Students

Public Humanities, a new open-access and peer-reviewed journal from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, is seeking submissions for the upcoming issue Public Humanities for Students. This issue invites humanities scholars to write articles for 14-18 year olds focused on the big ideas young people need to navigate today’s world.

The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2026 and articles must be 1,500 words or fewer.

Learn more about submission guidelines here.

To learn more about Project Discovery, contact Alicia Washington at alicia.washington@alexandriava.gov. 

Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria 

4850 Mark Center Drive

Alexandria, VA 22311