Upcoming events

  • Talk, Tacos, & Truth - Fentanyl Facts and Family

    6/5/2025 5:30-8:00 pm @ McMurray Middle School

    Get the lowdown on what’s really going on, what our youth have access to, and what we can do to support our teens - both as parents and as a community.

    5:30 - snacks with community partners

    6:00 Come Back Home - film (anffilms.org) suitable for children 13+

    Fentanyl in the Community - with VIFR Mobile Integrated Health

    Getting Real with Your Teen - Panel Discussion

  • Safe Grad Night

    6/14/2025 following VHS graduation ceremonies

    A safe and sober celebration just for our high school graduates - organized by a group of parents. See our Programs/Safe Grad Night for details and our SGN 2025 page to register your graduate.

    ** Please contact VARSA if you are the parent of a future graduate and would like to help plan their Safe Grad Night.

  • McMurray Sources of Strength club POOL PARTY

    6/17/2025 6-7 pm at the Community Pool

    Let’s end the year with some fun! Pizza and pool antics for our McMurray SOS students who helped encourage their peers to be helpful friends, acknowledge adults they can trust, and how to make a positive impact at school.

Engage. Educate. Empower.

VARSA’s mission is to reduce underage drug and alcohol use and promote healthy, substance-free lifestyles through education, advocacy, and community support.

We believe that through education, collaboration, and advocacy, we can create a supportive environment where young people can thrive.

Growing up on this beautiful island has many advantages, yet Vashon youth face a significant challenge: high rates of underage drug and alcohol use.

For almost two decades, the statewide Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) has consistently shown that underage substance use on Vashon is much higher than the state average across all grade levels, with some students starting as early as sixth grade.

There’s a common belief on the island that there is a permissive attitude toward underage substance use. Many students downplay the risks, are influenced by peers who drink and use drugs, and feel social norms and recent legislation do nothing to discourage this behavior.