Last month, Westborough High School’s librarian Mrs. Cellucci won an international librarian award through Library Journal, called LJ Movers & Shakers: the People shaping the future of libraries. Mrs. Cellucci’s award is in the educator category. 

Librarians around the world who are making a difference in their community libraries are eligible for nominations, and out of the 300 nominees, only 50 librarians were chosen.

Mrs. Cellucci actually had no idea she was being nominated.

“I write a column for an academic journal for school libraries and my editor actually nominated me,” says Mrs. Cellucci.

Mrs. Cellucci didn’t actually know her editor nominated her until after she received the award and the article accompanying it was released.

Her editor thought her advocacy for mental health awareness at WHS deserved recognition.  

Mrs. Cellucci’s difference in our community is her “focus on mental health and social/emotional wellness and different things that relate to that.”

Mrs. Cellucci creates different programs for mental health, such as “bibliotherapy.” She also works with the counselors in our school and counselors outside of our school, such as Westborough Youth and Family Services, to set up some of these programs.

She also writes grants to assist in her difference-making.

“This year I have a grant that’s for a student wellness advisory team so I’m looking for students to get involved with that and kind of be the grassroots effort of what students really want to see that relates to mental health.”

In her profile by Movers and Shakers, Mrs. Cellucci is praised for the progress she has made for mental health at WHS.

“She is certified in mental health first aid through the National Alliance on Mental Health and has worked to spread the training to other area educators.”

The article further explains how Mrs. Cellucci’s movement was able to really begin in 2015: “After securing a two-year Library Services and Technology Act grant in 2015, she developed a mental wellness curriculum, prioritizing the library as a stigma-free space.”

This led to many events to help students cope with stress and other mental health issues, such as yoga, reflective writing, and other low-stress, therapeutic activities.

This well-deserved award represents the hard work Mrs. Cellucci has put into making the WHS library a welcoming, low-stress, informative place for students and teachers. It also further emphasizes Cellucci’s care for her students and the community.

“None of what I do really is about the awards. My ‘why’ is students, just that whole piece of making sure that we’re focusing on student wellness and the whole person, not just academically but really thinking about our students as people,” remarks Mrs. Cellucci.

So, whether student or teacher, feel free to reach out to Mrs. Cellucci for mental health education, help with research, or you want a good recommendation for a new book.

To read the full article in the Library Journal:

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory=anita-cellucci-movers-shakers-2019-educators

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=movers-and-shakers-2019