Coca-Cola UNITED is honored to have eight high school seniors in its six-state territory join the Coca-Cola Scholars Class of 2026. The following students will each receive a $20,000 college scholarship:

• Jaeden Brown, Belle Chasse, La.
• Claire Cantrell, Arab, Ala.
• Charlee Chandler, Dothan, Ala.
• Avery Kelley, Powder Springs, Ga.
• Dominic Mimbang, Douglas, Ga.
• Coco Qiu, Hull, Ga.
• Alex Royal, Sandy Springs, Ga.
• Carolyn Thomas, Eatonton, Ga.

A total of 150 high school seniors were selected from an initial pool of 107,000-plus 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.

Coca-Cola Scholars will attend Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend April 23-26 in Atlanta, where they will be guests of honor at the 38^th annual Coca-Cola Scholars Banquet and participate in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni. Collectively, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will award $3.1 million in college scholarships to these outstanding young leaders.

A joint effort between Coca-Cola bottlers nationwide and The Coca-Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the U.S. With the addition of the 2026 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 7,200 Coke Scholars nationwide with more than $90 million in scholarships as it celebrates 40 years of impact since its founding in 1986.

“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 Coca-Cola Scholars 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.”

“We are incredibly proud to congratulate our Coca-Cola Scholars on their outstanding achievements,” said Christy Danzy, Coca-Cola UNITED Corporate Community Relations Manager. “We are honored to support this program and its mission of empowering exceptional students who mare making a difference in their schools and communities. These scholars represent the very best of what the future holds, and we celebrate all they have accomplished.”

Coca-Cola UNITED’s history with Coca‑Cola Scholars dates back to former CEO Crawford Johnson III, who, in his role as chair of the Coca-Cola Bottlers’ Association, led the creation of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program to honor the 100th anniversary of Coca‑Cola in 1986. Watch the video below to learn more.