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KANSAS CITY, Mo — A new scholarship program is now in Kansas City, but it’s not just any scholarship program. It is specifically for recovering addicts and is designed to provide them with a second chance at life.
“Everything from culinary school, massage therapy school, traditional Associates, Bachelors (degrees); we also fund Master’s and PhDs,” Darcy Glidewell, executive director of Next Step program, said
The program started in St. Louis 20 years ago and expanded to Kansas City last year.
Applicants are required to have been sober for one year, have a part-time job, and be active in a 12-step recovery program. Convicted felons also can apply.
“People will say, ‘Really, all I have to do is stay sober and go to school and you’ll help me pay for it?'” “And we say yes” said Glidewell.
Kristy Robinson is a Kansas City scholarship recipient. She was one of the first people in the city to receive the scholarship.
“I am currently pursuing a Doctorate in Community Leadership for Equity and Inclusion from the University of Central Arkansas,” Robinson said.
She was an alcoholic until she reached her breaking point.
As her sister was losing a battle she couldn’t control, Kristy was losing one she could.
“My older sister had cancer and was going to lose the battle, and I didn’t think it was fair for my parents to have two sick kids,” said Robinson.“I didn’t want to put my parents through anymore heartache. They had already had enough.”
She began drinking at a young age and it quickly became part of her lifestyle. She says she always knew it was a problem, but was never motivated to stop.
While her sister was in the final stage of her illness, she got sober and hasn’t look back.
She’s been sober for nearly 10 years.
“Recovery is easy,’ said Robinson. “It doesn’t seem like it in the beginning, but you get to identify who your next role is going to be. And if it’s superhero, then you put on the cape and kind of rescue yourself a little bit.”
Kristy believes the best thing you can do is bet on yourself.
“You deserve it,” Robinson said. “I think that’s the hardest thing that people don’t recognize it. What if I don’t deserve it? You absolutely do. You’ve survived 100% of the days so far, what’s one more.? Just take the next right step.”
The application deadline is April 1st. You can apply here.
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