Neighborhood and Community Services

Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith (L) with Mt. Vernon District Champions of Character honorees Tate Allen, Michael Day and Zoe Tickner, and Tom Fitzpatrick of the Fairfax County Athletic Council. Click to see photo in high-resolution. Youth athletes, coaches and parents were honored on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at the annual Stephen A. McLaughlin Champions of Character Awards at the Fairfax County Government Center.  The annual awards, founded in 2001, honor county youth, coaches and parents in each magisterial district for extraordinary service in pursuing victory with honor on and off the field of competition. Instituted by the Fairfax County Athletic Council, this program aims to support the tradition of amateur athletics in cultivating teamwork, leadership, good sportsmanship and community service.  The award was renamed in 2023 in honor of the late Stephen A. McLaughlin, the longtime Providence District Representative to the Fairfax County Athletic Council. This year's Champion of Character Award was given to Harold Leff, a member of the Fairfax County Athletic Council for 33 years. This award is given to an individual for their longstanding service to athletics in Fairfax County and commitment to the values of the Champions of Character. The awardees are as follows: Braddock District Male Athlete - Tillman Abeyta, Football, Braddock Road Youth Club Female Athlete - Norah Garcia, Soccer, Annandale Boys & Girls Club Coach - Carlos Santizo, Soccer, Braddock Road Youth Club Parent - Angela Santizo, Soccer, Braddock Road Youth Club Dranesville District Male Athlete - Brady Britt, Football/Baseball, Great Falls Little League and Langley High School Female Athlete - Ayla Sayd, Volleyball, Marshall High School Coach - Khayla Williams, Basketball, Herndon Optimist Club Parent - Martine Silve, Field Hockey, Herndon Reston Youth Field Hockey Franconia District Male Athlete - Kibowen Kirui, Soccer, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club Female Athlete -  Vivienne Jensen, Soccer, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club Coach - Russell Balikian, Soccer/basketball, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club Parent - Tara Suga, Baseball, CSLL/Patriot/Hayfield HS Hunter Mill District Male Athlete - Teddy Gill, Football, Reston Youth Association Female Athlete - Sienna McIntyre, Ice Hockey, Reston Raiders Coach - Terry Redican, football, South Lakes HS Parent  - Walid Choueiri, Basketball, Swim, Football Mason District Male Athlete - Makai Carothers, Football, Annandale Boys & Girls Club Female Athlete - Michelle Soto, Soccer, Annandale Boys & Girls Club  Coach - Alicia Hopkins, Basketball, Soccer, T-Ball, Football, Annandale Boys & Girls Club Parent - Maria Colbert, Soccer, Premier Athletics Club Mt. Vernon District Male Athlete  - Tate Allen, Basketball, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club Female Athlete - Zoe Tickner, Soccer, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club /West Potomac HS Coach - Garrett Kell, Basketball, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club Parent - Michael Day, Basketball, Lee-Mt. Vernon Sports Club Providence District Male Athlete - Ben Ochsendorf, Basketball, McLean Select and Nova Cats AAU Female Athlete - Ryan Elizabeth McIntosh, Swimming Coach - Mark Cruz, Volleyball, Vienna Youth Inc. Parent - Mary Wong, Volleyball, Vienna Youth Inc. Springfield District Male Athlete - Simon Fischer, Baseball, Central Springfield Little League Female Athlete - Valeria Morales, Soccer, Braddock Road Youth Club Coach - Dan Walsh, Baseball, Central Springfield Little League Parent - Kwame James, Basketball, CTAB Hoops Sully District Male Athlete - Otto Hutchins, Soccer Female Athlete - Quinn Crozier, Softball, VA Glory Coach - Javier Alarcon, Soccer, SYA Parent - Dan Mac, Soccer, SYA  Visit the 2025 Awards Flickr photo album to view and download more photos.  Visit the Stephen A. McLaughlin Champions of Character Awards page for more information on the annual awards.    See a Channel 16 Around Fairfax video of the event below.  

NCS centers with youth programs will hold special events in October in honor of the 26th annual Lights On Afterschool, a national rally for after school programs sponsored by the non-profit Afterschool Alliance. This year’s Lights On Afterschool observance is Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025.  The Afterschool Alliance, an advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality after-school programs, announced that after-school programs will hold thousands of events nationwide to highlight the ways after-school programs support student success. According to the Afterschool Alliance, some 8,000 after-school programs will take part in this year's Lights On Afterschool. NCS offers School Age Child Care (SACC), Teen Centers and other youth programs at community centers and school locations throughout Fairfax County. For the 2025-26 school year, NCS has launched Beyond the Bell, a child care pilot program at 20 Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) elementary schools. Beyond the Bell will expand opportunities for safe, affordable and high-quality child care for county families. All NCS programs provide a safe, structured environment for promoting social connections, commitment to learning, health, wellness and individual growth. Programs run on school days, as well as summer, spring and winter breaks. SACC and BTB fees are based on household income. Many of the other programs are free.  A large body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance, behavior and more among children who participate in after-school programs, says the Afterschool Alliance. Researchers have also found that students in after-school programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning and develop critical work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and communications, according to the Afterschool Alliance. To learn more about NCS programs for children and teens, visit this NCS website.