Prevention
ACPS News: Empowering Students Through Substance Use Prevention and Healthy Choices
MC Dr. Jarvis with guests H. Shiever, D. Cartwright & H.Jackson. Supported byACPS, SAPCA, DEA & OWG.
ALEXANDRIA, VA —February 2026. Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) is proud to announce a series of school assemblies at ACHS. These assemblies were designed to equip our students with the knowledge and resilience needed to lead healthy, drug-free lives. Through these activities, approximately 1,200 students have benefited from this essential programming.
On Friday, February 19 and 27, 2026, 9th-grade students at the Minnie Howard Campus and King Street Main Campus, respectively, gathered in the corresponding auditoriums during 6th period for a powerful assembly titled “The Impact of Addiction & Healthy Lifestyle Benefits.”
A Collaborative Effort for Student Success
This initiative is the result of a dedicated partnership between the ACPS Department of Student Services and Equity, the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA), the Alexandria City Opioid Work Group (OWG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Alexandria Youth Ambassadors (AYA)/DCHS
By bringing together educators, community advocates, and federal experts, we aim to provide our students with a comprehensive understanding of the risks associated with substance use and the positive outcomes of healthy decision-making.
Presentation Overview
The assembly is structured to move beyond basic statistics, focusing instead on real-world consequences and practical tools. Key topics include:
| Topic | Description |
| Addiction Development | Understanding how addiction starts and identifying early warning signs. |
| The "Domino Effect" | How substance use impacts mental health, family dynamics, and legal status. |
| Recovery & Resilience | Real stories of overcoming adversity and building personal strength. |
| Prevention Strategies | Practical, everyday tools for making healthy choices in social situations. |
| Support Resources | Connecting students to available school and community-based help |
Alignment with Educational Standards
This activity is a vital component of the Virginia Health Standards of Learning (SOL) for high school students. Specifically, this presentation supports the following requirements:
- Standard 9.1: Students will apply health knowledge and skills to the development of personal goals, including the effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
- Standard 9.2: Students will explain the impact of health risks, identify strategies and resources to limit risk.
- Standard 10.1: Students will demonstrate an understanding of health concepts, including the short- and long-term effects of tobacco, nicotine (vaping), alcohol, and other drug use.
- Standard 10.2:The student will analyze protective factors related to healthy decisions.
February 2026 Assemblies Gallery at ACHS
Panelists from ACPS, SAPCA, and the Alexandria City Opioid Work Group (OWG) came together at the Alexandria City High School auditorium to present “The Impact of Addiction & Healthy Lifestyle Benefits.” The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) supported this initiative by providing important educational resources at an interactive information table. Their display included the impactful “One Pill Can Kill” and “Faces of Fentanyl” campaigns. These materials gave students a clear understanding of the opioid crisis. By reaching all ninth-graders at ACHS, this collaborative effort provided around 1,200 students with the knowledge and strength to lead healthy, drug-free lives.
Red Ribbon Week
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Social media: In collaboration with SAPCA developing a social media content schedule for Red Ribbon Week. These posts will go out on ASPCA’s Facebook and Twitter for the next two weeks.
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Proclamation: In collaboration with SAPCA, SCAN, and FACE, promoting the campaign and participating in the proclamation recognizing Red Ribbon Week on October 22, 2024, starting at 7 p.m.
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Red Ribbon Week posters + stress balls: A big thanks to ACPS for their help distributing Red Ribbon Week posters, flyers, and stress balls to our schools! 600 flyers promoting the poster contest were also distributed in partnership with ALIVE! through some of their food distribution events.
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Delivering a prevention message. 2500 stress balls sponsored by SAPCA were delivered during the week of Oct 13. The stress balls were distributed to the SST members, as a tool that they could use and share in their AOD activities.
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RRW SEL lessons. In a collaboration work between SAPCA, Mental health specialists, and substance abuse counselors a series of SEL lessons were developed to deliver the SA prevention message. This resource will be used by SST members and teachers to increase awareness about the risks and consequences of drug use.
2025 Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest Submission
Poster Contest Submission
Who can participate in the poster contest?
Entrants must be students currently enrolled in Alexandria City Public Schools.
There are three contest categories: elementary, middle, and high school. Note: All posters must be submitted by NOVEMBER 16, 2025.
If the poster is crafted and handmade, you can either take a picture of it and upload the image using this form or mail the physical poster to the provided address.
Life is a Puzzle
Red Ribbon Week Proclamation
Opioid Prevention Campaign
The APCS-SAC, The ACPS-SA counselors, in collaboration with the FACE program and external partners like the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria City (SAPCA), the Alexandria City Opioid Work Group, and the SCAN of Northern Virginia, the School Health Department, promoted and led several opioid prevention activities (tier 1).
October 24 meeting of the Alexandria City Council, the annual alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention awareness campaign known as Red Ribbon Week was officially designated for the city as October 23–31.
Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt, the Superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools, expressed her appreciation for the students who participated in the poster contest on drug use and abuse prevention. She emphasized the importance of raising awareness and educating the community about the dangers and consequences of substance abuse. She also praised the creativity and talent of the students who created the posters during the 2023 RRW campaign.
May 2023.The Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center and the Department of Student Services and Equity/Substance Abuse Prevention Services partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to offer a series of community presentations on the risks and dangers of fentanyl and other drugs. These presentations aimed to inform families about the effects of these substances on health and well-being, as well as how to recognize early signs of drug use and how to access resources for support and treatment.
On April 19, 2023, A training was conducted to the community of Minnie Howard ACHS. The topic of the presentation was the risk and dangers of fentanyl and other drugs, and how to use Narcan in case of an overdose. Approximately 30 families attended. Ana Bonilla, SW and parent outreach specialists from Minnie Howard Middle School organized this event in collaboration with the Department of Student Services & Equity/ Substance Abuse Prevention Services, and school health services. It was a very informative and engaging session, and I received positive feedback from the participants. This presentation helped raise awareness and prevent drug abuse among our students and families.
On May 18, 2023, a group of 53 families from William Ramsay Elementary School community participated in a workshop on Opioids and Narcan Administration. The workshop aimed to raise awareness about the risks of opioid abuse and overdose, and to teach the participants how to recognize the signs of an overdose and how to administer Narcan, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The workshop also provided resources and support for families who are affected by opioid addiction or who want to learn more about prevention and treatment options.
As part of the Opioid Overdosage Prevention Campaign, our school district organized several training sessions on Opioids & Narcan Administration in May and June 2023. The sessions were attended by various staff members, such as social workers, psychologists, counselors, security personnel, administrators, nurses and H.PE teachers. The goal was to educate them on how to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses, and how to administer Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioids. In this photo, you can see a group of school administrators who participated in one of the sessions.
August 2023. As part of the Opioid Overdosage Prevention Campaign, a series of training sessions on Opioids & Narcan Administration were held in June 2023. The sessions were aimed at educating and equipping various staff members who may encounter opioid overdoses in their work environment. In one of the sessions, a group of security personnel and guards learned how to recognize the signs of an overdose and how to administer Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioids.
March 30th, 2023 In-person session at FCH. The Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center and the Department of Student Services and Equity/Substance Abuse Prevention Services partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to offer a series of community presentations on the risks and dangers of fentanyl and other drugs. These presentations aimed to inform families about the effects of these substances on health and well-being, as well as how to recognize early signs of drug use and how to access resources for support and treatment. Attended by the public online and in person, with more than 200 attendees.
The Facts and Consequences presentations, delivered by the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA), aimed to educate students about the risks and harms of substance abuse. During the school year 2022-2023, SAPCA visited eight schools and gave 55 presentations to health classes. The presentations reached 4,192 students in total and received positive feedback from both students and teachers.
In April 2023, the ACHS International Academy partnered with the DSSE Substance Abuse Counselors to raise awareness about the Opioids crisis among its students. Andres Acosta, the Support & Intervention Specialist from the academy, delivered a series of informative and engaging presentations to all grades from 9th to 12th. He covered topics such as the effects of Opioids, especially fentanyl, on the brain and body, the signs and symptoms of addiction, and the available resources and help for those who struggle with substance abuse. Mr. Acosta reached hundreds of students through more than 30 sessions and encouraged them to make healthy and responsible choices.
The Opportunity Seminar is a collaborative initiative that started in February 2019 as part of the Substance Abuse services at DSSE. It aims to provide early intervention and secondary prevention for students who violate the ACPS Alcohol and Other drugs (AOD) abuse regulations, which prohibit the possession, use, and/or distribution of alcohol, tobacco and/or tobacco products, or other drugs on school grounds, on school buses. As per school policy, parents shall attend with the student. The program is delivered by subject experts from various agencies, including ACPS-DSSE, Alexandria Police Department (APD), Department Of Community & Human Services (DCHS)/CSB, Family And Community Engagement Program (FACE), Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Of Alexandria (SAPCA), and Alexandria Juvenile And Domestic Relations District Court/ Court Service Unit (CSU). The program is coordinated by qualified experienced substance abuse counselors from ACPS.
May-June 2023.The Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center and the Department of Student Services and Equity/Substance Abuse Prevention Services partnered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to offer a series of community presentations on the risks and dangers of fentanyl and other drugs.
August-September 2023. School Assemblies. Minnie Howard ACHS.
On August 17, 2023, a training session on opioids, fentanyl, and Narcan was held for all Health & P.E teachers in the school district. The purpose of the workshop was to educate the teachers on the dangers of opioid misuse and overdose and to equip them with the skills to identify an overdose and to use Narcan, a drug that can counteract the effects of an opioid overdose.
SY-2022. The Opportunity Seminar is a collaborative initiative that started in February 2019 as part of the Substance Abuse services at DSSE. It aims to provide early intervention and secondary prevention for students who violate the ACPS Alcohol and Other drugs (AOD) abuse regulations, which prohibit the possession, use, and/or distribution of alcohol, tobacco and/or tobacco products, or other drugs on school grounds, on school buses. As per school policy, parents shall attend with the student. The program is delivered by subject experts from various agencies, including ACPS-DSSE, Alexandria Police Department (APD), Department Of Community & Human Services (DCHS)/CSB, Family And Community Engagement Program (FACE), Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Of Alexandria (SAPCA), and Alexandria Juvenile And Domestic Relations District Court/ Court Service Unit (CSU). The program is coordinated by qualified, experienced substance abuse counselors from ACPS.
Narcan Training
The K-12 Substance Abuse Services Counselors from the Department of Student Services, & Equity (DSSE), in collaboration with internal and external partners, conduct professional development activities aiming at training staff regarding opioids, fentanyl, and how to use Naloxone (Narcan). More information here.
Assemblies (Fentanyl Awareness and Vaping Prevention)
Assemblies
The Department of Student Services, in partnership with the Substance Abuse Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), conducted assemblies for all grades at Francis C. Hammonds Middle School, George Washington Middle School, Jefferson Houston K-8 School, Jhon Adams k-8 School and Patrick Henry K-8 School from October 2024 to June 2025. These assemblies reached approximately 3500 students and focused on the dangers of illicit drugs, including opioids, fentanyl, nicotine use, and vaping. The "One Pill Can Kill" campaign, led by the DEA, aims to educate students about the severe risks associated with drug use and prevent substance abuse before it begins. Our gratitude to SAPCA and the DEA for your immense collaboration to prevent drug use in our community.
Vaping Prevention Campaign
To address the increase in youth vaping, Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) have launched a prevention campaign grounded in evidence. This initiative includes classroom instruction, such as the "CATCH My Breath" program, and community efforts, such as Red Ribbon Week and JROTC collaborations, to address the health risks and social influences of vaping. By combining these resources into a complete wellness framework, ACPS aims to promote lasting behavior changes that support student health and success.
Students gather in the auditorium for an assembly on the harmful effects of vaping (2019)
Vaping Prevention Campaign Posters
Vaping Harmfulness Awareness Campaign:
Which one do you find most interesting?
Standards Of Learning H.PE
In 2022-2023 In a collaborative effort between the Health PE. Department, SAPCA, and the ACPS substance abuse counselors under the leadership of Kristin Donley from H.PE conducted a review and adjustments to the ACPS Substance Abuse Education curriculum - Health & PE Grades 4-10th. The curriculum was updated and adjusted to include content not explicitly covered in the past to include the risk of vaping, fentanyl, and more.