Fayetteville High School student named 2025 Coca-Cola Scholar
Nation’s premiere scholarship program awards $20,000 for college
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, FEB. 18, 2025 – Katherine (Kate) Hinton, an exceptional senior at Fayetteville High School, has been recognized as one of the country’s most outstanding high school leaders by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. Hinton plans to attend the University of Arkansas. She is the daughter of Thomas and Emily Hinton and resides in Fayetteville.
As a member of the 37th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, Hinton not only exemplifies superior leadership, service, and academics – she is a change agent, positively affecting others in the community. She is one of 150 selected from 105,000+ applicants from across the country to receive this scholarship.
Coca-Cola Scholars will attend Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta April 3-6, 2025, where they will be the guests of honor at the 37th 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.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program is a collaborative initiative involving Coca-Cola bottlers across the country, including the local bottler Ozarks Coca-Cola in Springfield, Missouri, and The Coca-Cola Company. It is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2025 class, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will have awarded scholarships to
more than 7,050 Coke Scholars nationwide, totaling over $87 million in scholarships over the past 37 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, those students selected as Coca-Cola Scholars will be welcomed into a vibrant and growing community of alumni that has 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 (The Coke Scholars Ignite Podcast) and the ninth year of a coaching program that partners seasoned alumni with first-year Scholars as they transition to college. Every 5 years, all alumni are invited to a Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation celebrates and empowers visionary leaders who are refreshing the world. With its 37th class of Coca-Cola Scholars, the Foundation has provided more than $87 million in scholarships to over 7,050 program alumni who together have become a powerful force for positive change. Learn more at www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org.
About Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company
Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned bottler operating in Missouri for 105 years. Founded by the Rice family in 1920, Coca-Cola and Dr Pepper products are manufactured in Springfield, with sales and distribution branches in Springfield, Bolivar, Joplin, Rolla, West Plains, and Northwest Arkansas. The company distributes over 650 Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper products across Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma and employs more than 850 associates. More information about Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company is available at www.cocacolaozarks.com.