About This Scholarship
Addiction can impact people from all walks of life, regardless of age, race, sex, gender, or socioeconomic status. As part of our mission to end the stigma surrounding addiction and help those impacted by substance abuse lead happier, more fulfilling lives, we are offering the Mountainside Brighter Future College Scholarship. With this scholarship, we aim to help students pursue their dreams and passions. We know a brighter future starts with today’s youth and want to enable young people to overcome their struggles. Through a personal essay, applicants will share how their addiction or their loved one’s addiction has affected their life, raising awareness and highlighting the reality of this disease.
Award Information
- Ten $1,000 awards at the high school level
Eligibility Requirements
- Open to high school juniors & seniors living and enrolled in schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, or New Jersey
- One scholarship per person and per household
- Mountainside employees, current or former clients, and their immediate family members are not eligible
- Applicants under 18 need a parent or guardian’s consent to apply
How to Apply
- Submit a 500- to 800-word essay that covers the following:
- How has your own or a loved one’s addiction affected you?
- How has it impacted your life in both a positive and negative way?
- How has it changed your perspective on the disease of addiction?
- We believe that recovery is love. What does “recovery is love” mean to you, and who or what has shown you love, support, or hope?
- How would receiving this scholarship help you in your future studies?
Suggested Essay Themes (Optional)
We welcome applicants to write about any experience with addiction. If you’re not sure where to begin, our scholarship committee has compiled the suggested themes below. These themes are completely optional, and choosing one, or not, has no effect on how your essay is judged. Not every story includes recovery, and yours doesn’t have to.
- How substances sold at gas stations and convenience stores, like kratom or nitrous oxide, are easy to find and often seen as harmless, and what that has meant for you or someone you know
- How vaping became normal in your school or friend group, and how that changed the way you or someone close to you thinks about nicotine and other substances
- How legal cannabis shaped what you and your peers believe about risk, and what you wish more teens understood
- A prescription medicine that was shared or misused at home or among friends, and how it changed your view of what’s safe
- The silence or shame around addiction in your family or school, and what would make it easier to talk about
- A moment when someone showed you love, support, or hope while addiction was part of your life
If you have any question regarding the Brighter Future College Scholarship, email brighterfuturescholarship@mountainside.com
What to Expect
- Your essay may be featured on the Mountainside website, with identifying details removed.
- Recognition in a local press release
- An invitation to join an optional, recorded panel on our Sober Spill Podcast, where students share their perspectives on substance use in schools today. Saying yes to learning more is not a commitment and does not affect your award.
Deadline for Submission
April 19, 2027
- For applicants under 18 years of age, please submit application here
- For applicants over 18 years of age, please submit application here
Winner Selection
Thank you to everyone who shared their story with the Brighter Future Scholarship. Congratulations to our 2026 winners!
- Ava Coffey – Northwestern Regional High School
- Lynae Eakin – New Milford High School
- Peyton Elliott – Derby High School
- Jayvon Elston – William H. Hall High School
- Dion Matthew Florencio – Eastchester High School
- Ryan Lavey – Massapequa High School
- Aubrey Merideth – Colonia High School
- Modestus Okpala – Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics
- Madison Peneguy – Bristol Jr/Sr High School
- Rosheka Reddicks – Waterbury Career Academy
- Mackenzie Turner – Faith Christian Academy