May 2026 Newsletter

May 2026

Announcements

City of Alexandria Recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month

Each April, communities across the country recognize Alcohol Awareness Month to share information about the facts and consequences of alcohol use and to raise awareness about the causes and effects of a substance use disorder. This past April, youth, parents and caregivers, and community members participated in several prevention efforts and awareness activities, including:

Joining SAPCA for a reception to celebrate this year’s Red Ribbon Week poster contest winners on April 28. In addition to receiving a $100 gift card, the Red Ribbon Week poster contest winners were recognized during the presentation of a proclamation recognizing April as Alcohol Awareness Month. These students' winning artwork is also displayed at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Dr.) on the lobby level and fifth floor.
Learning the risks associated with youth alcohol use.
Raising awareness about the legal consequences of providing alcohol to people under 21.
Checking out SAPCA's "I don't drink because..." campaign. Alexandria City High School (ACHS) students created the videos to encourage youth to be alcohol free. These videos reinforce the social norm that most youth in Alexandria do not drink alcohol, a trend to get behind.

“The title of my drawing is 'Build your city strong. Every piece matters — stay drug-free.’ Each puzzle piece represents the important things and people in my life — like being kind, having fun with friends and family, or learning from teachers. If you put in a bad piece like drugs, it will mess everything up and make things fall apart. The red ribbon and the good pieces help fix it, like when people work together to keep each other safe and happy.” - Amaya Eneche, 3rd grade, Charles Barrett Elementary School

“This poster promotes a drug-free lifestyle by showing a young girl (wearing a red top to represent drug prevention), who is looking at the quote above her head. The quote, ‘Life is a Puzzle: Don’t let drugs scatter your pieces,’ is a metaphor that describes how life can throw things at you sometimes, but it’s up to you to put your pieces together and determine who YOU want to be. By using substances like drugs or alcohol, you could go down a path that is unhealthy in your life and make poor decisions.” - Ruby Behr, 8th grade, George Washington Middle School

“This poster promotes a drug-free lifestyle by saying the phrase ‘you can't grow on drugs.’ A flower with a face on it is wilting as it is watered by pills to represent how drugs can help lead you to a dangerous and potentially deadly lifestyle. ‘You can't grow on drugs’ in this poster has two meanings. One of which is literal, the flower cannot grow properly on drugs… another interpretation is more figurative, meaning that doing drugs isn't going to get you any good and meaningful life experiences, which prevents personal growth.” - Rosemary Pereira-Kyle, 9th Grade, ACHS

To complement these efforts, SAPCA members will continue to share prevention resources with Alexandria families year-round. Together, we can ensure that youth in Alexandria have the information and tools to make informed choices about their health and future so they can thrive today, tomorrow and in the future.

To learn about other ways to support local efforts to prevent youth substance use and misuse, contact Emma Beall at emma.beall@alexandriava.gov

Recap: Take Down Tobacco Day

On April 18, 42 ACHS students came together for Take Down Tobacco Day, an annual event focused on preventing youth access to tobacco products. Students from the ACHS U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program kicked off this youth-led event with a press conference featuring remarks from SAPCA Chair Allen Lomax and Alexandria Police Department Captain Gregg Ladislaw.

Following the press conference, teams of youth and adults youth visited more than 20 Alexandria retailers to promote the COUNTER ACT campaign, which supports merchants in complying with laws related to tobacco sales to minors.

Participating retailers received certificates in recognition of their partnership in helping prevent youth access to tobacco.

New this year, youth also created artwork highlighting the dangers of underage tobacco use.

In Virginia, it is illegal to sell tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, and alternative nicotine products to anyone under age 21.

This event was hosted by SAPCA in collaboration with the Alexandria Police Department; the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office; the Department of Community and Human Services; the Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities; and the ACHS U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program. Youth from several City of Alexandria programs also participated, including the Alexandria Youth Ambassadors, Peer Advocates, and Peer Advisors.

SAPCA is appreciative of our partners for their help kicking off this important campaign and speaking up about the importance of preventing access to tobacco by underage youth.

The JROTC program prepares high school students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities and privileges as American citizens.

The Alexandria Youth Ambassadors are a group of high school students who support community engagement efforts focused on anti-violence, trauma healing, and social emotional learning.

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

The Peer Advisors are a group of high school students who mentor younger youth, give public presentations on prevention topics, and participate in community service projects.

Recap: Drug Take Back Day

On April 25, the City of Alexandria collected and safely disposed of 351 lbs. of unused, expired, and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medication collected during Drug Take Back Day. SAPCA thanks and recognizes the Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria Sheriff's Office, Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray, Fire Station 210, Walgreens Pharmacy at Bradlee Shopping Center, the Alexandria Opioid Work Group, and the Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps for their partnership to dispose of unused and expired medication safely.

We are also thankful for the wonderful volunteers that supported outreach efforts during drug take back day. Please join us in recognizing Abosede, Darla, Debby, Louis, Peter Rhonda, Rita, and Susanne for their help promoting the City’s permanent medication drop boxes and distributing free at home drug disposal kits.

Needles are not accepted in the permanent medication drop boxes. Dispose of needles and syringes at a separate permanent drop box specifically for these items located inside the visitor's entrance at Inova Alexandria Hospital. The box is accessible at the same location and hours as the hospital’s drop off box for medications.

Visit alexandriava.gov/Opioids for more information about safe medicine disposal and to learn about Alexandria’s efforts regarding the opioid crisis

Community Connections: Promoting Prevention Resources

Last month, SAPCA collaborated with our school and community partners by promoting prevention resources with youth and parents.

On April 13, SAPCA Coordinator Emma Beall and Alexandria City Public Schools K-12 Substance Abuse Services Coordinator Fredy Martinez presented to Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy parents to provide an overview of current and emerging youth substance use trends. Emma also shared tips to help parents and caregivers support youth to make healthy choices, including:

Communicate early and often;
Learn and share information about the health impacts of substance use and the consequences of underage use;
Encourage healthy coping strategies;
Discuss peer pressure and how to respond; and
Focus on building Developmental Assets, the building blocks that support positive, healthy development.

Click here to view the full presentation.

On April 15, SAPCA distributed free Parent Handbooks to families attending a presentation about safe teen driving at ACHS. Created by Operation Parent, these Parent Handbooks are a resource guide that raises awareness about the latest trends, warning signs, and tips for effective parent/child communication.

On April 15 and 16, SAPCA Grant Coordinator Jamie Ciesla joined Emma to deliver Facts and Consequences presentations to 103 freshmen students at Bishop Ireton High School. During these presentations, students learn facts about alcohol, marijuana, vaping, and fentanyl and discussed healthy ways to cope with stress.

On April 25, Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps volunteers joined Opioid Response Coordinator Hope Sievers to conduct outreach at a health fair hosted by the Northern Virginia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Please join us in thanking and recognizing Alhambra and Michele for their help:

Promoting the Lock & Talk campaign, a statewide suicide prevention initiative that strives to promote safe care of lethal means and encourages community conversation around mental wellness;
Distributing free locking medication boxes, gun locks, and at home drug disposal kits; and
Spreading the word about "From Signs to Support: What to Do When Someone You Love is Struggling," a free webinar the Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia (SPAN) is hosting on May 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. Click here to register and learn more.

Volunteers also educated families about National Fentanyl Awareness Day, observed on April 29, by distributing free naloxone and fentanyl test strips. If given in time, Naloxone can save the life of someone who is overdosing from opioids. It can stop an overdose and restore normal breathing until emergency response can arrive. Fentanyl test strips detect the presence of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than morphine, in unregulated injectable drugs, powders and pills. Learn more about fentanyl here.

SAPCA appreciates these opportunities to connect with our community and looks forward to continuing to collaborate with our partners to promote prevention resources and ways to get involved in our community.

Volunteer Spotlight: Aliyah Thaxton

Please join us in recognizing outgoing SAPCA intern Aliyah Thaxton! Since beginning her semester-long internship in January, Aliyah has completed 312 volunteer hours. During her internship, Aliyah learned an incredible amount in a short period of time and used her knowledge, experience, and passion to support SAPCA in decreasing substance use in our community. Specifically, Aliyah:

Attended CADCA’s National Leadership Forum, the largest training event for substance use and misuse prevention leaders;
Supported outreach by distributing prevention resources to families;
Delivered presentations to middle school students about alcohol, marijuana, vaping, and medication misuse;
Reviewed and provided feedback on communications materials;
Reviewed and organized SAPCA’s digital assets inventory, helping catalog prevention materials, graphics, templates, and other communications resources so they can be more easily accessed and used moving forward; and
Refined and revamped SAPCA’s communications plan.

Aliyah’s greatest strength is her genuine commitment to making a positive difference in the world – her “why.” Her drive to create positive change has been evident throughout her internship and will continue to serve as a strong foundation for her future success.

Aliyah is graduating this month from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Health Science. We are grateful for the knowledge, passion, and thoughtfulness she brought to SAPCA’s work and we wish her all the best as she celebrates her graduation and begins her next chapter.

Congratulations, Aliyah!

Five Things You Should Know: Mental Health Spotlight

Each May, communities around the country recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month to address the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions. Mental health is part of everyday life. It shapes how we think, feel, connect with others, and move through the world.

Nationally, nearly one in five youth will experience a mental health challenge such as depression or anxiety at some point during their life. Making a plan to to support your mental health can help you take care of yourself and others. Here are five tips for maintaining positive mental health this month and year-round.

Pay attention to your feelings

Remember that it is okay to feel unhappy sometimes. Recognizing your feelings is the first step to addressing and nurturing them.

Practice self-care

It is important to schedule time for yourself and activities that recharge your mind and body. This may include reading a good book, working out, spending time in nature, and practicing stress management skills, such as deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. It is also important to remember to prioritize necessities, including eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep, and finding time for exercise.

Avoid alcohol and drugs

They don’t actually reduce stress: in fact, they often worsen it. If you’re struggling with substance use, misuse, or abuse, help is available.

Find support

Whether it’s with friends, family, a counselor or a support group, airing out and talking can help. Consider attending a free support group provided by NAMI Northern Virginia. If you or someone you love is experiencing a crisis, you can call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.

Know when to seek help

If you feel that your mental health struggles are becoming overwhelming and difficult to handle, it is important to seek help and know that treatment is available. Information about behavioral health services for children and families in Alexandria can be found here.

Click here to review other local and national resources for getting help.

NAMI Northern Virginia is an organization of families, friends and individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness that advocates for better lives for those individuals who have a mental illness. Learn more about NAMI Northern Virginia here.

Recap: Jeans for Justice

On April 19, the Peer Advocates partnered with the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center to host the first Jeans for Justice event at Friends to Lovers Bookstore. During the event, high school and young adult Peer Advocates invited guests to decorate denim bookmarks while sharing resources and information about services provided by the Sexual Assault Center.

The event was held in recognition of Denim Day, an annual day of awareness observed on the last Wednesday in April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Denim Day Denim Day brings communities together to raise awareness about sexual violence and support survivors.

The Peer Advocates enjoyed connecting with community members, crafting, and spreading awareness about this important issue.

Learn more about the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center here or by calling the 24/7 hotline at 703.683.7273.

Contact Leia Stuart at leia.stuart@alexandriava.gov to learn more about the high school Peer Advocates and Alina Selnick-Escobar at alina.selnickescobar@alexandriava.gov to learn more about the young adult Peer Advocates.

Recap: National Youth Violence Prevention Week

Last month, the Youth Ambassadors hosted a series of events in recognition of National Youth Violence Prevention Week. Check out a full recap of these activities below!

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.