Queen Anne’s County Recognizes Student Leaders and Community Partners in Raising Awareness about Substance Misuse
The Queen Anne’s County Commissioners celebrated local students, educators, volunteers, and community partners at last week’s County Commissioners meeting during a special presentation highlighting outstanding youth involvement and community impact.
The presentation began with the announcement of the 2025 Opioid Awareness Poster Contest winners. Over 100 students from across the county submitted entries, each creatively illustrating messages about the dangers of substance abuse. Seven students were selected—one from each public middle and high school and one from the homeschool/private school category.
2025 Poster Contest Winners:
- Brooke Register – 12th Grade, Kent Island High School
- Clarissa Francesconi – 11th Grade, Homeschooled
- Lillian Hickey – 7th Grade, Centreville Middle School
- Claire Winterstein – 6th Grade, Sudlersville Middle School
- Gianna Barnes – 8th Grade, Matapeake Middle School
- Mac Cullison – 8th Grade, Stevensville Middle School
- Michael Page Jr. – 9th Grade, Queen Anne’s County High School
Winners received either a $300 Amazon gift card or a free driver’s education course, thanks to generous donations from Trax Advantage Driving Academy, Campbell’s Driving School, and Economy Tree Services. A heartfelt tribute was given in memory of Jim Roy, a longtime prevention advocate whose legacy continues to support youth-focused initiatives like this contest.
The Commissioners then recognized the outstanding contributions of the Drug Free Student Ambassadors program. Twenty-two students from across the county completed a combined 1,360 hours of service between April 2024 and April 2025. These ambassadors led projects including parade floats, educational window displays, an immersive escape room experience, and substance misuse presentations for local youth groups.
At the heart of the program is Julie Kille, the county’s Opioid Education and Prevention Coordinator. Working under the MOOR State Grant, Kille leads the Drug Free Student Ambassador Program—a youth-led, adult-supported initiative focused on substance use prevention. She actively recruits middle and high school students, empowering them to educate peers using relatable, fact-based messaging. Kille also teaches the evidence-based BOTVIN LifeSkills Training program to third and fifth graders, equipping students with skills in communication, decision-making, and self-esteem to help them make informed choices as they grow.
Special honors were given to:
- Students with over 100 hours of service: Maggie Burton (122 hours) and Gianni Figliozzi (102 hours).
- Founding ambassadors who served for three consecutive years, including Maggie Porciello, Daniel Mora, Logan Kille, Emma Sharp, Khloe Kerchner, and Quinn Francesconi.
- Winners of the SAMHSA FentAlert Challenge, a national competition where the QAC Ambassadors earned one of six top prizes and received $5,000 in support of their prevention efforts.
Two different teams of Ambassadors also designed and hosted original “QAC Goes Purple” escape rooms—interactive educational experiences that taught participants about substance misuse through puzzles and storytelling. Several students later presented their work at the 2025 National CADCA Conference in Washington, D.C.
In addition to student awards, the Commissioners honored Carol Francesconi for her dedicated volunteer work supporting drug prevention messaging through creative design and outreach materials.
Finally, several key community partners were recognized for their role in supporting the county’s prevention efforts, including County Commissioner Jim Moran, Queen Anne’s County Drug-Free Coalition, Queen Anne’s County Public Schools, QACTV, the QAC Information Technology & Communications Department, the Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff’s, and the Queenstown Premium Outlets.
“This program exemplifies what youth leadership and community partnership can achieve,” said Commissioner President Jim Moran. “These students are making a real difference, and we are incredibly proud of them.”
To learn more about the efforts of Queen Anne’s County Goes Purple, visit www.qacgoespurple.org.
.
