Mountainside Treatment Center Awards Brighter Future Scholarship to 13 High School Students Third Year in a Row
Canaan, CT – Mountainside Treatment Center is proud to award $13,000 in Brighter Future Scholarships to 13 high school students from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia whose lives have been impacted by substance abuse.
Launched in 2021, Mountainside created the scholarship program to foster addiction awareness and help affected individuals further their education and pursue their life goals. Since then, nearly 40 individuals facing the challenges of substance use have received over $35,000 in scholarships, empowering them to pursue their educational goals.
Mountainside received hundreds of submissions this year - many with similar themes ranging from stories about personal struggles, family members impacted by addiction, and social media dependency. Many applicants have used the application process as a therapeutic outlet to share their experiences, demonstrating a commitment to overcoming challenges.
“All across the country, we are witnessing the harmful effects of the opioid epidemic. This scholarship shows young adults that their voice is powerful and crucial for change and that there is hope for a brighter and better future ahead,” says Andre Basso, Chief Executive Officer of Mountainside.
Mountainside spoke with Amy Beddoe, the first recipient of our 2021 scholarship, who embarked on a meaningful journey with her family to St. Vincent and a small island off its coast named Bequia last Fall. This trip held special significance as it was the former Peace Corps post of her late brother, Jake, who passed away from an overdose. Amy and her family honored Jake's legacy by visiting the island community he deeply impacted with his dedication to education.
Mountainside hopes the Brighter Future Scholarship can provide financial support to even more teens and young adults who have been impacted by addiction as well as spark conversations across communities. For more information about the scholarship and to read this year’s winning essays, please visit: https://mountainside.com/scholarships/brighter-future/