Macon, Ga.-, May 3, 2018 – Tejas Athni, an exceptional senior at Stratford Academy High School in Macon, has been recognized as one of the country’s most outstanding high school leaders by the Coca Cola Scholar’s Foundation. He has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. As a member of the 30th class of Coca Cola Scholars, Athni was selected from a pool of more than 150,000 applicants from across the country.

“Tejas Athni is an extraordinary high school senior that has shown a steadfast commitment to educational excellence, leadership and service to his school and community,” said Robin Nelson, Sales Center Manager for Macon Coca-Cola Bottling Company. “Coca-Cola celebrates Tejas, and we are proud he is from our local community.”

Tejas has spent the last four years conducting research at Fort Valley State University and Karmanos Cancer Institute on developing a treatment for certain forms of brain cancer. Tajas has been awarded the AAN Neuroscience Research Prize, the Intel ISEF American Statistical Association Special Award, and was a 2017 International Finalist at ISEF, JSHS, International BioGENius Challenge, iSWEEP. Tejas was also the founder of CPR Education NovoToro a nonprofit organization that trains individuals in middle Georgia and south India CPR, First Aid & AED, and Basic Life Support. Away from healthcare, Tejas plays the piano, is a contributor to The Huffington Post, and is the editor-in-chief of Publizette Online International Magazine.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, a joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across America and The Coca-Cola Company, is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs of its kind in the United States. The Foundation is supported by the financial commitment of Coca-Cola Bottling Company UNITED, the parent company of Macon Coca-Cola, which was also influential in its start-up more than three decades ago. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation was established in 1986 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Coca-Cola and to bring better to the world through investment in exceptional high school students who are dedicated to leadership, service, and action that positively affects others.

The 2018 class of Coca-Cola Scholars included 150 high school students, selected from more than 150,000 applicants. Since its inception in 1986, the Foundation has awarded nearly 6,000 Coca Cola Scholars with a total of $65.5 million in scholarships. The Coca-Cola system believes that investing in students who are leaders, both academically and in service to others, will result in positive, lasting change and sustainable communities.

For a full list of 2018 Coca-Cola Scholars and their high schools, please visit:
http://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/?p=5298
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