VIDEO – EXPERIENCE COUNTS –

March 8, 2024 – Staunton High School gave Alice Woods the platform to speak about her personal experiences with drug addiction and recovery. Though the stories were dark, Woods and staff members at Staunton Public Schools said it was empowering and it left a lasting impact on students in the school.

“It’s okay to be different because today I am different. I stand here today as being different and that’s a good thing,” Woods said.

Woods grew up in New York. She said the city gave her the worst moments in her life. There she developed many drug addictions and burned bridges.

“I was being pulled off of everything that I had lied about, I had cheated on and I just wasn’t a good person at the time,” she said.

Now, she helps people struggling with addiction and looking to recovery through the Augusta County Commonwealth Attorney’s “Pathways” program as a case manager. She said though the stories are difficult to hear, they can help students realize how impactful drugs can be.

WATCH@WHSV