Boardman High School wins grant for library of books on addiction

BOARDMAN — Boardman High School is one of 10 schools across the country to be awarded a 2021 Herren Project Grant.

The $500 grant will be used to build a library of books that deal with issues of addiction and mental illness within families and their impacts on students.

Dana Safarek, the adviser to BHS Emerging Leaders Club, applied for the grant to purchase books to house in classrooms and Boardman High School's media center.

The Herren Project Clubs create a peer network in schools to empower youths to make healthy choices. They encourage overall wellness, development of coping skills and leadership in schools and communities, a news release states.

BHS Emerging Leaders Club has more than 75 members in grades 9-12 whose focus is on volunteering and giving back to the community.

"Through this grant, our group will be able to form our own library of books that deal with addiction," Safarek said in a news release. "It is so important for students who experience addiction at home to be able to read literature that reflects their experiences."

The club will purchase fiction and nonfiction books that promote wellness and coping skills.

"I believe in the immense power books have to both educate and heal," Safarek said.

This story was originally published May 17, 2021 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Boardman High School wins grant for library of books on addiction."