November/December 2020 Newsletter |
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Announcements & Upcoming Events |
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2020—What A Year!
This has been a difficult year filled with lots of uncertainties, unknowns and changes. It has also been a year of resilience, innovation, and trying new ways. As we approach the end of this year I am so very thankful for the commitment and support of SAPCA by all of you and our community partners. Starting in April the SAPCA Board began thinking about how we would continue our prevention work in this altered environment. As a result of that thinking and the great support of our community partners, SAPCA’s work continued during 2020.
We provided substance use prevention education workshops to T.C. Williams and Bishop Ireton High School students. We co-hosted, with the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy, the seventh annual Alexandria Youth Leadership Conference. Over 85 youth participated in the conference and over 20 community organizations participated in the networking event with Conference participants. Three drug take back events were held in Alexandria and we collected over 1,000 pounds of unused and unneeded drugs. We also distributed over 540 locking medicine boxes to families to prohibit youth access to medicines not meant for their use. Working with the Alexandria City Public Schools we held another successful Red Ribbon Week event in October to provide information about the dangers of using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs to youth at various grade levels. Finally, we received and started implementing a federal grant to enhance our youth alcohol prevention work over the next several years.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without your support and commitment to SAPCA, its work and its mission. I am very thankful for you. I am also very thankful for the great work members of the SAPCA Board have done this year overcoming a lot of challenges. Finally, I am thankful for Emma Beall, the SAPCA Coordinator, who puts her mind and heart into her work every day. It has been quite a year and I am sure you, like me, are really looking forward to 2021. The SAPCA Board of Directors and I wish you and your family safe, healthy, and very happy holidays!
Allen Lomax
Chair, Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria
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SAPCA Members Elect Officers and Board of Directors
In October, the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) invited motivated individuals to submit nomination applications to serve as officers and members of the Board for SAPCA. Board members help shape policy and strategy in the Alexandria community.
After wrapping up the election process, conducted electronically this year, we are so excited to announce our incoming Board of Directors. Biographies for these individuals can be found here.
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Officers
- Chair: Allen C. Lomax
- Vice Chair: Kimberly Hyde Santucci
- Treasurer: Quameer Reddick-Parker
Board of Directors
- Deputy Morgan Garner, Alexandria Sheriff's Office
- Tom Gates, Deputy Executive Director of Operations and Programs for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)
- Kate Harbour (T.C. Williams student)
- Captain Monica Lisle, Alexandria Police Department
- Fredy Martinez, Alexandria City Public Schools
- Shirlen Rac Carpio (Hammond Middle School student)
Thanks to the support of our members for selecting these individuals to serve our community for the next two years! SAPCA looks forward to continuing to work with our community to reduce and end youth substance use in Alexandria.
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Community Partners Collaborate to Safely Dispose of Unwanted Medication
Building on the 227 pounds of unused and expired medication collected on October 24 through National Drug Take Back Day, in November an additional 220 pounds of medication were collected from homebound residents served through the Meals on Wheels program and through the Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray's permanent medication drop box.
Senior Services of Alexandria (SSA) collaborated with the Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) and the Alexandria Sheriff's Office to develop, coordinate and implement the first drug-take back program for for Meals on Wheels clients.
"SSA’s first Drug Take Back had a significantly large response allowing many Senior’s to safely dispose of expired medications," said SSA Meals on Wheels Program Coordinator Marshall Hespe. "Our clients are the number one priority, and this program allowed us to serve and support them in a new way. We also want to thank the Sheriff's Office and DAAS for their generous support, this program would not be possible without them."
Meals on Wheels is a life-sustaining program that allows seniors who are unable to leave their homes to shop, or have difficulty preparing a meal, to have two healthy meals a day delivered to their homes. Learn more about Meals on Wheels here.
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Alexandria Celebrates Red Ribbon Week
Each year, SAPCA joins our community in celebrating Red Ribbon Week from October 23-31. Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention program and is an ideal way for people and communities to unite and take a visible stand against drugs. This year's theme was "Be happy. Be brave. Be drug-free."
This year, SAPCA participated in Red Ribbon Week by:
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Encouraging students to enter the Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest for a chance to win $100. Winners will be announced in the coming months.
- Supporting elementary school Youth Development Counselors at Patrick Henry, William Ramsay and Samuel Tucker to conduct activities virtually with their students.
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Recognizing Red Ribbon Week through a City proclamation.
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Assisting in the development of five unique community circles delivered virtually to over 1,300 ACPS elementary, middle and high school. During these circles, students explored how to:
- Help a friend in need,
- Resist peer pressure,
- Improve communication skills to create and maintain friendships,
- Make the world a better place, and
- Stay substance-free by focusing on sparks, the interests and passions that give people great and enjoyment and a sense of purpose, and strengths.
Among students that completed an evaluation survey for these circles,
- 92% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement “It is important that I stay drug-free to achieve my goals.”
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91% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement “It is important to me and my health to stay substance free and avoid using alcohol and drugs, including marijuana and e-cigarettes.”
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90% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement “If asked to try alcohol or drugs, including marijuana or e-cigarettes, I would be comfortable saying no.”
Thanks to everyone who helped make these activities a huge success!
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Courageous Conversations Community Chat
Voices' Racial Truth & Reconciliation VA invited Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities' Charm Bullard to host a Courageous Conversations Community Chat intended to jumpstart tough conversations and learning opportunities around allyship.
This free event will take place on December 4 from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. During this session, participants will explore identity and conversational competence to talk about the hard stuff at work respectfully. Click here to register.
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SAPCA Needs Policy and Advocacy Volunteers
Do you like policy development and advocacy? Do you want to gain practical experiences with policy development and advocacy? If you answered yes to one or both questions SAPCA needs you. Over the coming months there will be a variety of substance prevention issues being discussed at the national, state and local level. We need volunteers to track and analyze some of the substance abuse prevention issues so the SAPCA Board of Directors can provide substantive comments and ideas to policy makers. If you would like to help with this important task, please contact Emma Beall, SAPCA Coordinator, at emma.beall@alexandriava.gov.
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Profiles in Courage Essay Contest Now Accepting Submissions
The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.
Contest deadline: January 15, 2021.
Contest awards:
- First-place: $10,000
- Second-place: $3,000
- Five Finalists: $1,000 each
- Eight Semi-finalists: $100 each
Contest topic:
Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level.
Click here to learn more about the contest, including requirements.
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Application Launches for T.C. Williams Athletic Department Internships
The T.C. Williams High School Athletic Department is looking for dedicated students who have an interest in working in the sports field to participate in an internship program during the upcoming semester. These internships are well suited for students interested in sport management, event planning, marketing, communications, fundraising, editorial and business. Available positions include:
- Concession Stand Management
- Event Operations
- Photography
- Sales & Marketing
- Social Media
- Website/Journalism/Graphic Design
The Athletic Department will offer flexibility around school and activity schedules. A set work schedule, based on service hours or credit requirements, will be determined at the start of the internship. All internships are unpaid. Students can access the internship application here.
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T.C. Williams High School PTSA Announces Reflections Contest Winners
Winners have been announced for the 2020-2021 Reflections Contest . This annual contest helps students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas; develop artistic literacy; increase confidence; and find a love for learning. This year's contest theme was "I Matter Because…." Please join us in congratulating this year's winners and all students that participated in this contest.
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Film:
- 1st Place: Eliza Gwin, 9th Grade, “The Women’s March
Music:
- 1st Place: Ellie Lo, 11th Grade, “On My Sleeve”
Photography:
- 1st Place: Katherine Radt, 10th Grade, “Today”
- 2nd Place: Abigail Altenburg, 9th Grade, “I am a Bee”
- 3rd Place: Abigail Altenburg, 9th Grade, “Mask Up”
- Honorable Mention: Abigail Altenburg, 9th Grade, “I…am water”
Dance:
- 1st Place: Sabine Mead, 11th Grade, “Exploration in E minor”
- 2nd Place: Molly Quigley, 11th Grade, “I Love You”
Literature:
- 1st Place: Helen Cooper, 11th Grade, “Little Deservings”
- 2nd Place: Zahra Rahimi, 9th Grade, “I Am Important But Ignored”
- 3rd Place: Zahra Rahimi, 9th Grade, “What a Great Price to Be a Woman”
Visual Art:
- 1st Place: Neema Dillard, 10th Grade, “I Am”
- 2nd Place: Claudia Martino, “I See Your Humanity”
- 3rd Place: Staci Robinson, 10th Grade, “I Am A Human Being”
- Honorable Mention: Samantha Migliore, 11th Grade, “Silver Lining”
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Building Resilience Through Gratitude
What are you grateful for today? It’s a simple question, but frequently challenging to answer. When so much seems to be going wrong, identifying even small or insignificant things to be grateful for can help build resilience: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
Consider building this question into conversations with your friends and family. Resilience can lead to good mental health, and good mental health reduces the risk of drug use — not to mention, it allows us to cope with the ups and downs that life will throw at them.
To find resources for coping with fear, stress and anxiety about the COVID-19 here.
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Click here for a PDF of this flyer which contains registration links. |
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Re-Employing Virginia (REV) Provides Tuition Assistance
Governor Northam’s $30 million Re-Employing Virginia (REV) Initiative will run until December 14, 2020 to assist Virginians who have lost their jobs due to COVID-19.
Through this program NOVA will receive $5.8 million to provide tuition assistance of up to $3000 to new and current students who enroll in short-term workforce training or certification programs at NOVA including: Early Childhood Education, Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Public Safety and Skilled Trades.
Applicants must be receiving unemployment benefits as of August 1 OR have lost a full-time job due to the pandemic and be working part-time earning less than $15/hour.
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A Message From The Teen Wellness Center
During this time, it is important to follow COVID-19 guidelines, such as wearing a mask that covers your nose and mouth; maintaining a social distancing of six feet; washing hands or using hand sanitizer frequently; and following the newest guidelines that limit social gatherings to 25 people.
Teens that drink alcohol, smoke or vape marijuana, or use other drugs may face an increased risk of getting COVID-19. Why?
These substances affect decision-making and judgement, which may prevent someone from following COVID-19 guidelines, thus putting them and their loved ones at risk for contracting COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention has also shared that alcohol and drugs affect the body's ability to fight diseases and can make individuals more vulnerable to complications arising from COVID-19.
Teens are encouraged to be safe, follow COVID-19 prevention guideline's and avoid using alcohol and other drugs.
Teens seeking help for medical concerns, immunizations or physicals can call the Teen Wellness Center at 703-746-4776 or text APPT to 571-329-2245. In-person and telehealth appointments are available.
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Emma Beall, MPH
SAPCA Coordinator
O: 703.746.3670
C: 571.302.1022
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Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria
123 N Pitt St, Suite 225
Alexandria, VA 22314
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