Mountainside treatment center is proud to award $13,000 in Brighter Future Scholarships to 15 high school and college students from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida whose lives have been impacted by substance abuse.
In 2021, Mountainside created the scholarship program to foster awareness of addiction among youth and help affected individuals further their education and pursue their dreams and life goals. Due to an abundance of scholarship applications, Mountainside adjusted the original scholarship amount of $10,000 to better support a greater number of individuals in need.
Daschall Hayes, Norwalk CT resident, and student at Brien McMahon High School, was among one of the 15 scholarship recipients. In his submission, Daschall talks about how he turned a family member’s struggle with addiction into a positive learning experience that helped him become more compassionate and able to appreciate the small moments in life.
Last year, Connecticut saw over 1,400 drug overdose deaths, a 306 percent increase from 2012 to 2022. While 86 percent of these overdoses involved fentanyl, xylazine has become an emerging concern in the state.
“All across the country, we are witnessing the harmful effects of the opioid epidemic. To prevent more people from having to struggle with addiction, it is imperative that we educate our youth and empower them to make the right decisions,” says Andre Basso, Chief Executive Officer of Mountainside. “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."
