North Putnam students named Coca-Cola Scholar finalists

Kaelynn Abner and Morgan Asher of North Putnam High School have been named semifinalists for the 2017 class of Coca-Cola Scholars program.

As of 2016, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 5,700 Scholars nationwide with more than $66 million in scholarships.

“As a premier scholarship provider, we recognize our role in helping young people achieve their college goals,” President of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Mark Davis said. “The economy continues to affect many students’ abilities to attend the college of their choice so it is critical (that) we continue to stay the course.

“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation received nearly 86,000 applications this year and the semifinalists are truly some of the most accomplished students in the country.”

Abner and Asher fall within the ranks of about 1,900 high school seniors around the country who are in the running for a total of 150 scholarships worth $20,000 each.

Students are selected to advance to the next phase based on academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in both school and community activities. The Class of 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars will mark the 29th consecutive year that the foundation has awarded scholarships.

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 fosters lasting connections with its members.

Coca-Cola Scholar alumni stay in touch through regional councils, special events and through their local Coca-Cola bottling facilities. In 2006, the Scholar Alumni Advisory Board was created to build on the efforts of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation through networking, mentoring, collaborations and friendships in order to make an even greater positive impact.

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 program recognizes a diverse group of extraordinary high school seniors who have demonstrated academic and civic excellence in their schools and communities.