Navajo County Drug Project (NCDP) this month received a $3,000 national grant  from the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. (LLCF) to purchase books for Navajo County Hope School for youth in detention.

Lois Lenski, the 1946 Newbery medalist for Strawberry Girl, had a life-long concern that good books be available to all children. She established a foundation to provide grants to public libraries, school libraries, and non-profit agencies serving disadvantaged populations. LLCF is a charitable institute that assists organizations to provide books to children who might otherwise lack access to children’s literature. The LLCF annually awards grants for books for young people through grade 12. Grants for 2009 ranged from $500 to $3,000.

Many county and school personnel were involved in assessment and planning for the grant, said Dr. Mary Jeanne Munroe, NCDP Education Chairperson. Navajo County Sheriff’s Office Educational Program Officer Julie Farnsworth recommended books to address self-esteem, bullying and decision-making, along with works by felons who used prison time to improve their lives.

Hope School teacher Michael Lange contributed a list of popular books that support state testing expectations. Blue Ridge Schools Librarian Linda Renfro added accelerated reading level books covering topics such as child abuse, drugs, date rape, self-confidence, depression and gangs. Problems of teens are addressed in the extended list, along with books focusing on life and social skills, employment skills and career opportunities. Incarcerated youth requested current event information. Friends of the Larson Library also supported grant preparation.

NCDP will work with Friends of the Library to identify used books on the list that may be available. Local vendors will be utilized to purchase as many of the listed books as possible, before looking outside the mountain market.

Community members who wish to contribute appropriate books or make tax-deductible contributions toward the book list for the new Hope School library may do so through the non-profit Friends of the Navajo County Anti-Drug Coalition, Inc. Books and contributions can be mailed to Friends of the Coalition, PO Box 1596, Pinetop, AZ. A tax receipt will be provided in return acknowledgment. For further information, email:  friendsofthecoalition@gmail.com