In a high school where the hallways are constantly bustling with students’ laughter, gossip, and questions about what assignment they need to make up in history class, a serious, unfamiliar silence fell upon the entire JCHS student body on February 11th. Every student, regardless of grade, sat and listened as former professional basketball player Chris Herren shared his voice and personal experiences on the topic of substance use prevention.
Herren, who played for the Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, and several other major overseas teams, spoke to students and administrators about his battle with addiction throughout his career. Now, living in long-term recovery for over 16 years, Herren has spoken to over two million students, athletes, and community members, sparking honest discussions about substance use disorder with a focus on wellness.
First beginning to engage with drugs and alcohol his freshman year of high school, Herren emphasized in an interview with The Caldron the importance of high-school aged students needing to understand “how this begins, rather than how it ends,” making his message particularly important for high school aged students to hear.
Herren noted the inclusivity of the relevance of the topic of drug addiction to students of all backgrounds, not just athletes. “There are kids in this school right now thinking this is for the jocks…but I think in the first 10 minutes, kids will realize this has nothing to do with that, nothing to do with sports…I think it’s important for all”, said Herren.
Herren additionally expressed the aim of his conversations to alter the way people view addiction as an impossibility in their own lives. Because for most teenagers struggling with addiction, it starts with their “why?”
“I didn’t start off on heroin, I didn’t start off on the streets. I started off in a school like [James Caldwell High School]…that was my beginning”, he said. “I think the misconception is we’ve really tried to scare kids away from drugs and alcohol instead of understanding why they’re using it.”
Herren’s unadorned and sincere approach to conversations about drug abuse allows him to connect with audiences of any kind, ranging from students to professional athletes, and it especially made an impact with students at James Caldwell High School.
“There was a sense of discomfort in the room; however, it was definitely necessary for [Herren] to portray that to us, as listeners, so we can understand the severity of addiction and alcoholism,” said senior Madison Marsh when reflecting on the assembly.
Senior Madison Graham agreed, “People were taking it very seriously, which of course is a good thing. It was very motivational, and I think a lot of people were able to relate to it.”
Freshman Anthony Grosso thought that Herren’s intention of speaking to students about the dangers of being introduced to drugs and alcohol was important for young people, especially freshman students, to hear because “freshmen are new to this. Some of them are being exposed to [drugs and alcohol] for the first time. Mr. Herren’s presentation should be helpful to them, as long as they listen.”
After concluding his presentation, Herren walked out of the auditorium and immediately left the premises without delay. Deliberately highlighting his message, Herren wanted to leave his listeners to seek support from adults and community members within their trusted circles when facing challenges or navigating sensitive issues.
For more information, visit www.herrentalks.com.
