By Andy Bell-Baltaci – updated 10/24/19 2:27 PMA local coalition wants to connect high school students from across the county who want to keep their peers away from alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
Empower Johnson County, which started in 2015, is on a mission to stop youth substance abuse. The organization wants to create a new coalition of students from the six Johnson County public high schools, along with private school and home-schooled students who are interested in promoting a healthy lifestyle, said Miranda Broomfield, the organization’s youth coordinator.
This is the first time Empower Johnson County has started a coalition that includes students from area high schools. Federal Drug-Free Community Support Program grants give $125,000 a year to Empower Johnson County, which uses the money to pay its employees and coordinate events such as post-prom, which provides drug and alcohol-free activities for high school seniors after their prom, Broomfield said.