South High Hosts St. Baldrick’s Event

On May 15, the Students Putting an End to Cancer (SPEC) club at South High School hosted their annual St. Baldrick’s event and raised almost $500 to help conquer kids’ cancer.

South High students and staff excitedly filed into the courtyard after school to cheer on this year’s shaves: principal Dr. Christopher Gitz and teachers Michael Passuello, James Morrow, and Brian Shedrow. Suzanne Jersey, a paraprofessional at South High, donated her time to shave participants’ heads in solidarity with children battling cancer.

In addition to funds raised from the haircuts, SPEC club members also conducted a bake sale and collected donations. All funds from this event benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an international organization committed to supporting research to find cures for childhood cancers. The SPEC club advisor is Carly Bank, school counselor at South High.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public Schools District

Four Distinguished Students Named 2023 Coca-Cola Scholars Nation’s Premiere Scholarship Program awards local students $20,000 each for college

Rachel Woo, Samir Batheja, Sabrina Guo, and Kevin Zhu, all seniors in the New York area, have been recognized as four of the country’s most outstanding high school leaders by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and have each been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. Woo, Batheja, Guo and Zhu are four of 150 selected from 91,000+ applications from across the country to receive this scholarship.

As members of the 35th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, these students exemplify superior leadership, service, and academics. They are change agents, positively affecting others in their communities.

Guo, a student at Syosset High School, grew up in Oyster Bay, will be attending Yale University to study pre-law. Batheja, a student at Half Hollow Hills High School East, grew up in Dix Hills, will be attending Yale University in the fall to study biomedical engineering and economics. Zhu, a student at Jericho Senior High School, grew up in Old Westbury near Smithtown and is undecided about their future school and major.

Woo, a student at Great Neck South High School, grew up in Great Neck. She will be attending the Sophie Davis 7-year combined BS/MD program at the City College of New York.

“To me, being named a 2023 Coke Scholar means much more than the actual scholarship money. It means I’ve joined a family, a network, of incredibly accomplished and inspirational people,” said Woo.

Coca-Cola Scholars attended the Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta April 13-16, where they were the guests of honor at the 35th annual Coca-Cola Scholars Banquet and participated in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni. Collectively, the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awarded $3.1 million in college scholarships to these outstanding young leaders.

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 2023 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have provided more than 6,750 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $81 million in scholarships over the course of 35 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, the new 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 and the sixth 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. Learn more at www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org.

—Submitted by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation