Arlington County, like much of our region, has recently experienced an alarming rise in serious substance abuse and overdose deaths among teens, including two overdose deaths that occurred with students from the same high school.
In response, this fall VOICE leaders held face-to-face conversations with over 200 Arlington middle and high school students to better understand the crisis and identify potential solutions. A top issue that emerged from our listening work was the need to create affordable, accessible, and engaging after-school activities.
VOICE and a group of close allies created a proposal for the county to provide school-based after-school programs targeted at students with the greatest needs. Last week, the County Board voted to allocate $750,000 to fund new after-school programs this school year, a major accomplishment.
We thank the County Board for its bold commitment to Arlington’s youth, as well as key allies, the Arlington branch of the NAACP and the Arlington Schools Hispanic Parents Association.