Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Awards 9 $20K Scholarships to Graduating Seniors in UNITED Territory

Cassandra Mickens

4 years ago

Nine exceptional high school seniors from Coca-Cola UNITED’s local bottling territories are among the 2021 class of Coca-Cola Scholars. Pictured first row, left to right: Alex Benoit, Adi Bora and Eunice Chon; second row, Jay Iyer, Sarah Lao and Colby Orcutt; third row, Jamal Sayid, Ria Shah and Lindsey Wood.

Nine exceptional high school seniors from Coca‑Cola UNITED’s local bottling territories are among the 2021 class of Coca‑Cola Scholars, each of whom will receive a $20,000 college scholarship.

A total of 150 high school seniors were selected from an initial pool of 99,403 applications from across the country based on their academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in school and community activities as part of a three-stage selection process.

UNITED territory Coca‑Cola Scholars are (in alphabetical order):

Alex Benoit, Oconee County High School, Watkinsville, Georgia
Adi Bora, Johns Creek High School, Johns Creek, Georgia
Eunice Chon, Howard High School, Macon, Georgia
Jay Iyer, Baton Rouge Magnet High School, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Sarah Lao, The Westminster Schools, Johns Creek, Georgia
Colby Orcutt, Fort Walton Beach High School, Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Jamal Sayid, Grayson High School, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Ria Shah, Hoover High School, Hoover, Alabama
Lindsey Wood, Thorsby High School, Thorsby, Alabama

A joint effort of Coca‑Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca‑Cola Company, the Coca‑Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2021 class, the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 6,450 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $75 million in scholarships over the course of 33 years.

“We believe that identifying these young leaders throughout the country and encouraging their passion for serving others not only empowers the students, but also lifts up those around them.” said Jane Hale Hopkins, President of the Foundation. “The Coca-Cola system is dedicated to giving back to the communities they serve, and the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation is proud to be a part of that commitment.”

In addition to receiving college scholarships, those students selected as Coca‑Cola Scholars will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing family of alumni that have become a powerful force for positive change in the world. Through networking, collaborations, and friendships, the group strives to make a greater impact together. Recent initiatives include a podcast called The SIP, Coke Scholars Care (Coke Scholars doing good in the midst of the pandemic), and the fifth year of a coaching program that partners seasoned alumni with first-year Scholars as they transition to college. Every five years, all alumni are invited to a Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit.

Coca‑Cola UNITED’s history with the Coca‑Cola Scholars Program dates back to former UNITED CEO Crawford Johnson III, who, in his role as chair of the bottlers’ association, led the creation of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program to honor the 100^th anniversary of Coca‑Cola in 1986.

For the full list of the 2021 Coca‑Cola Scholars, click here.