Congratulations to our 2024 Elyssa's Mission Scholarship Recipients!!
Ellianna Gashi
Plainfield Central High School
I am sincerely honored to receive the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship and am grateful for your support of my education. Receiving the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship means to me that I was able to spread awareness for those who may be struggling with mental illness and promote crucial resources to prevent suicide. Thank you again for this incredible opportunity and encouraging me to continue to strive for excellence.
Attending University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Aashika Sidney Jain
Geneva High School
I am extremely honored to be selected as one of the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship Award Recipients. I am proud to have had the opportunity to help and advocate for my peers. I hope to continue to help break the stigma of depression and other mental health disorders while helping those affected. Having battled my own mental health illness, I want others to understand that they are not alone. Receiving this scholarship has helped validate that my efforts have made an impact on others. I hope to carry on the skills I learned through Elyssa’s Mission by joining other mental health advocates in college.
Attending Indiana University
Isabela Xel-Há Alvarado
Maine South High School
I feel so blessed and honored to have received this scholarship; it will not only help with my education but also with breaking the stigma of mental health. Through Elyssa’s Mission, I was able to be a part of a school program that granted me the ability to help a friend when they needed it the most. Mental Health awareness is a big part of my life journey which makes this award even more personal. I will make it a priority to continue spreading my knowledge of mental health awareness.
Attending Benedictine University
Izabela Bisiak
Maine South High School
I am so incredibly grateful to have received the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship, and even more grateful to have been able to spread the Elyssa’s Mission message at my high school! It is so important to check in on friends and prioritize mental health. I hope to continue to uphold the values of this program in my day-to-day life and as I continue my education and start college.
Attending Vanderbilt University
Aleena Chulanon
Downers Grove North High School
I am truly honored to be a recipient of the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship this year. In addition to assisting me financially, this award is a validation of my hard work, dedication, and commitment to making a difference in my community. I am deeply honored and inspired to continue my journey of helping others and advocating for mental health awareness. This award reinforces my belief that small acts of kindness and support can create significant positive change, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such a meaningful cause. Thank you for believing in me and empowering me to pursue my academic and personal goals
Attending University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Sarrah Handlawala
Downers Grove North High School
I feel honored to receive this scholarship. Winning this scholarship is very special to me, not just for the financial support it offers as I pursue my dreams in college, but also for its validation. It acknowledges my accomplishments and the challenges I’ve faced and overcome. I sincerely appreciate the recognition from Elyssa’s Mission and the work it does by helping with mental health and preventing suicide.
Ryan Fioresi
Geneva High School
I am incredibly honored to have received this scholarship for such an amazing cause. This scholarship will help me afford the next step of schooling and will also become a reminder of the good in the world. There are great people out there that want to hear your story and would do anything to sit by your side and help you get through whatever you are going through. As somebody who has witnessed someone going through such a tough time I understand the feeling and it truly means a lot to me to receive this award.
Attending University of Alabama
Sofia Van Dermeir
John Hersey High School
Mental health has been something I’ve struggled with for many years. This has led me to be a part of Elyssa’s Mission. I am incredibly honored to be awarded this scholarship and to be recognized for my mental health journey which is something I value. With the help of the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship, I am able to continue doing what I am passionate about, helping others who are struggling with their own battles. I’m so grateful that I am receiving this as I thought just a year ago I wouldn’t even be here to graduate.
Attending Central Michigan University
Amanada Lendino
John Hersey High School
I am so incredibly honored and grateful to receive this scholarship award. I know how important it is to be there for others as they face mental health battles and Elyssa’s Mission does an amazing job in spreading awareness and supporting those who are struggling. This scholarship means a lot as it will support me in pursuing my academic goals and will remind me to implement the Acknowledge, Care, and Tell message in my future career as a nurse.
Attending Marquette University
Sofia Nigro
Maine South High School
Winning the Elyssa’s Mission Scholarship not only is a great help with aiding me in my academic endeavors in college, but also it’s a sign to me that Elyssa’s Mission understood my struggles that I wrote about in my essay, and wants to reward my work. Mental health is something that everyone struggles to comprehend- no one knows what someone is thinking about constantly, and what triggers someone might not affect someone else. The essay challenges students to dig deep into their surroundings/their own minds to fully comprehend how mental health problems exist among teens. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity this scholarship gave me and furthermore grateful for the support Elyssa’s Mission has provided.
Attending University of Wisconsin - Madison
Kaitlyn Genske
Geneva High School
I feel very blessed and honored to be awarded this scholarship. Elyssa’s Mission is a program that helps and educates so many, and it feels great knowing I am now taking part in this amazing program. I would say I’ve always been passionate for being there for others and helping others, and to be recognized for that feels very rewarding. This scholarship will help me further my education in college where at the moment I wish to major in sociology or psychology.
Attending Waubonsee Community College
Katie Lentz
Loyola Academy
I am incredibly grateful to have received this scholarship! This opportunity will not only help me in my academic goals but will also allow me to pursue my passions and leave a positive impact in this world. I have always tried to do my part in helping others and myself with mental health and I am so excited to continue to learn more and provide support to all the people around me. I am extremely thankful for the sense of community within Elyssa’s Mission and feeling like I am a part of something bigger than just myself. I can’t wait to continue to pass on my knowledge of mental health awareness and be a part of destigmatizing mental health needs.
Attending University of Iowa
Gionamaria Maccaferri
Maine South High School
Receiving Elyssa’s Mission scholarship is a great honor. Unfortunately, the death of a friend by suicide directly impacted me. I am very passionate about spreading awareness about suicide and preventative measures. I will continue to work guided by the values that I hold to be true; I am committed to spreading kindness and helping people through difficult times. The Elyssa’s Mission program has helped me increase my confidence in reaching out to others and attempting to help people who are suffering.