A 10-year-old girl from Alexandria has set a kids’ world record for the longest time continuously jumping on a pogo stick.
Del Ray resident Lily Youngblood learned how to use a pogo stick on Oct. 6, 2025. Just three days later, she set the world record in her age range for the longest time jumping on one — a distinction recognized by Canada-based Kids World Records.
Fourteen Alexandria artists and groups have received nominations in a program recognizing musical talent across the D.C. area.
Alexandria’s nominees for the 37th Annual Wammie Music Awards represent several genres, from funk and folk and hip-hop and pop. The voting period for the 2026 awards is now open and will run through Jan. 15, ahead of the March 28 awards show in D.C.
Inova Alexandia Hospital has been named one of the top hospitals in the country for maternity care in an annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report.
Alexandria’s hospital at 4320 Seminary Road was joined in the publication’s Fifth Annual 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care list by its sister hospitals, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital and Inova Loudoun Hospital. The facility was recognized as a birthing-friendly hospital, a designation measured by C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates and birthing-friendly practices, among other measures.
The organization behind National Night Out has recognized Alexandria as one of the best cities of its population size to participate in the annual night of law enforcement engagement.
Alexandria was ranked No. 15 for its “exemplary community involvement” among cities with a population of 100,000-300,000, according to an Alexandria Police Department release. Awards were decided by the National Association of Town Watch, the nonprofit sponsor behind National Night Out.
A team of professionals in Alexandria has received a top statewide award for its work responding to allegations of child abuse.
Earlier this month, the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) from the Center for Alexandria’s Children received the 2025 MDT of the Year recognition by the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia (CACVA) at the Virginia Crimes Against Children Conference in Virginia Beach.
World champion sprinter Noah Lyles joined the ranks of a privileged few last night (Wednesday) when he was formally named a Living Legend of Alexandria.
Lyles and 11 other Alexandrians were recognized with the annual honor during a ceremony at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
It’s been a lively year for the student journalists of Alexandria City High School newspaper Theogony, who were recently named some of the best in the state.
Just months after Theogony staff made national headlines for their enterprising Voices Unbound campaign, the student newspaper was one of five in Virginia to win top-ranking “Trophy Class” honors from the Virginia High School League. Former co-editor James Libresco, who spearheaded the anti-censorship campaign, was also named Virginia’s Student Journalist of the Year.
An Alexandria education nonprofit has been honored with a statewide award for one of its mentoring programs.
The Campagna Center was recognized by Mentor Virginia last month for Wright to Read, a program that has trained and paired reading tutors with elementary students in Alexandria for 45 years. The program received the 2025 Champions of Mentoring Award at a ceremony in Richmond on Oct. 23.
Alexandria’s former sheriff and a retired principal from Alexandria City High School will be honored during a gala hosted by the Center for Alexandria’s Children this winter.
Retired sheriff Dana Lawhorne will receive CAC’s Champion for Children Award, while longtime educator John Porter will receive the Outstanding Dedication to Children Award at the nonprofit’s benefit concert in February.
D.C.-based real estate investment company Carr Properties has been awarded Alexandria’s top archeology award.
On Tuesday, Oct. 28, the City Council will announce the award and commend the company for its “commitment to the highest quality archaeological preservation at the site of the Alexandria Canal in Old Town North,” according to a proclamation. Carr Properties partnered with the city after uncovering part of Alexandria’s history as it worked to redevelop a 1980s-era office building into a mixed-use apartment building.
Two Alexandria companies were recently honored with top public relations awards.
Spotted MP and Meraki Communications Group were named to the PR Net 100 2025, a distinction recognizing the top-performing firms in the world of public relations. The winners were presented with the awards on Sept. 17 in New York City, and chosen from a panel of experts, including L’Oréal Vice President Jackie Staub; Saba Landmann, a senior vice president for Marriott; Brian Strong, Bloomberg Media’s global head of communications; Jessica Stacey, a senior vice president for Sephora; and Colleen Leahy, an executive director with The Estee Lauder Companies.
