Carson High senior named Coca-Cola Scholar semifinalist

Carson High senior Cristian Garcia Perez has been named a semifinalist for the 2021 class of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program, putting him in the running for one of the 150 college scholarships worth $20,000, according to a news release.

More than 1,600 high school seniors were selected as semifinalists from a pool of 99,403 submitted applications from across the country based on their academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in school and community activities.

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 33 years.

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.

Semifinalists are asked to complete Phase 2 applications, which include essays, a recommendation and transcripts. An independent selection committee will review the applications and select 250 regional finalists by the end of January to participate in online interviews. 150 Coca Cola Scholars will be named in March to receive a $20,000 college scholarship and participate in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni.

For information, go to coca-colascholarsfoundation.org.