Mountain Home High School senior Hunter Coy has advanced as a semifinalist in the 2027 class of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program. The program offers 150 scholarships of $20,000 each to high school seniors across the nation.
Coy was selected from a pool of more than 113,000 applicants and joins 1,227 other semifinalists nationwide, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation announced. The selections are based on academic achievements, leadership skills, and contributions to school and community activities.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program, funded by The Coca-Cola Company and its bottlers, is the nation’s largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship initiative. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than $93 million in scholarships to over 7,300 students, according to the foundation.
“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,” Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation President Jane Hale Paulsen said in a statement.
Semifinalists, including Coy, will now complete a second round of applications requiring essays, a recommendation letter, and a transcript. An independent selection committee is set to narrow the semifinalists to 250 regional finalists by early January, who will then participate in online interviews. From this group, 150 students will be named Coca-Cola Scholars in late February.
Scholars selected this year will be invited to attend Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta from April 15 to 18, 2027. The event includes a leadership institute organized by program alumni, the 39th annual Coca-Cola Scholars Banquet, and the official scholarship presentation ceremony.
Program alumni support awardees through mentoring, professional development initiatives, and a leadership summit held every five years to foster continued growth.
For Hunter Coy, earning a place as a semifinalist highlights both his academic dedication and commitment to his community. Final decisions for this prestigious honor are eagerly anticipated in the months ahead.