TELL CITY — The J. Andrew “Andy” Kast Memorial Scholarship for Mental Health Advocacy will be awarded to a graduating senior from Tell City Jr. Sr. High School who is pursuing post-secondary education. The purpose of this scholarship is to increase dialogue and engagement with Mental Health issues in our community. To this end, applicants will write a brief essay suitable for publication as a Letter to the Editor or Guest Columnist in the Perry County News. The writing should focus on Mental Health and may include issues around stigma toward individuals suffering with mental illness, personal experiences, experiences with family or friends (with their permission), or ideas addressing services and treatments available in our under-served area with a maximum word count of 500. The winning essay(s) will be submitted to the Perry County News for publication with the intent of increasing awareness of Mental Health issues in our community and providing support for individuals who may be facing anxiety, mood episodes, post-traumatic stress, eating disorders, personality disorders, psychosis, substance use, or suicide. The scholarship award is based heavily on the content of the essay, as well as demonstrated work ethic and community service. The amount of the award is $1000.

This year’s recipient is Cyrilla Sommer.