Congratulations Meredith! More than 102,000 students nationwide applied and only 150 were chosen. We are so proud that one of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program recipients is from Springfield, Missouri.
This article originally appeared in the Springfield News-Leader on February 24, 2015
Glendale High School senior Meredith Waites was recently named a Coca-Cola Scholar. (Photo: Submitted)
Glendale High School senior Meredith Waites has been named a winner in the nationwide Coca-Cola Scholars Program. For the honor, Waites received a $20,000 scholarship, according to a news release.
Waites, of Springfield, was chosen to be one of 150 scholars from a pool of more than 102,000 applicants from across the country for her outstanding leadership, academic achievements and dedication to community service.
She served as one of four Missouri finalists.
“I feel very accomplished, but at the same time I’m very surprised and shocked,” said Waites, in a news release. “I’m just a girl from Springfield, Missouri, I didn’t think I would be even close to be on the same level as some of the other finalists, so it’s such an honor to be considered for this scholarship.”
According to the release, Waites was notified of being named a Coca-Cola Scholar on Feb. 18, but it wasn’t the last good news she received on the snow day.
She was also named an Ingram Scholar at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Ingram Scholars are required not only to volunteer for community service but also design and implement projects that address specific community needs. Each scholar participates in community service projects at least 20 hours each month and receive a minimum of full-tuition and a stipend for a summer project.
Waites was one of 13 scholars who were selected from 831 applicants.
Central High senior Telyse Masaoay, Kickapoo High senior Boo Koss and Parkview High senior Hussain Rao were named semifinalists in the Coca-Cola Scholars competition.
This article originally appeared in the Springfield News-Leader on January 13, 2015
Central High School senior Teylse Masaoay has been named a semifinalist in the nationwide Coca-Cola Scholars Program. (Photo: News-Leader file photo)
A Central High School senior has been named a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholars Program.
Teylse Masaoay was chosen to be one of nearly 2,200 semifinalists from a pool of more than 102,000 applicants from across the country for her leadership, academic achievements and dedication to community service, according to a news release.
If selected as one of 250 regional finalists, she will qualify to be one of 150 Coca-Cola Scholars, who receive a $20,000 scholarship.
Nixa High debate students advance to “Top 32” round
Students from Nixa High School have advanced to the “Top 32” round of an international debate competition, according to a news release.
The Bickel & Brewer/New York University International Public Policy Forum, or IPPF, is known as the only competition that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.
By advancing, the students remain eligible to win a $10,000 grand prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to the IPPF Finals in New York City in May.
“We are very proud of Nixa High School and all of the teams that advanced in this very competitive global debate challenge,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at the law firm of Bickel & Brewer and a founder of the IPPF, in a news release. “These students have distinguished themselves as among the best in this unique test of research, writing and advocacy.”
This year, 243 teams — representing schools in 32 U.S. states and 21 countries — submitted qualifying round essays on either side of this topic: “Mass surveillance is not a justified method of governmental intelligence gathering.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 teams based on the overall quality of each 2,800-word essay.
In November, the “Round of 64” teams began a single-elimination, written debate competition. Each team was assigned a position (affirmative or negative) and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team via email. A panel of judges reviewed the essays and selected the winning teams. In that round, Nixa High School defeated Trinity High School from Washington, Pennsylvania.
The “Top 32” round begins immediately. Nixa High School will compete against Clayton High School from Clayton, Mo. The top 32 teams represent schools from 17 U.S. states and five countries, including the United States, Czech Republic, and Singapore.
The prevailing teams will be announced on February 12, and will compete in the “Sweet 16” round. On March 19, the “Elite 8” teams will be announced. Those teams will travel to New York City on an all-expenses-paid trip to the finals.
Nixa and Clayton are the only two Missouri teams in the “Top 32.”
Nixa students prepare, present personal business plans
At Nixa High School, the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management class created their personal business plans and recently pitched them to a “Shark Tank” style panel, according to a news release.
The students included detailed operation, marketing and financial plans for their proposed businesses.
Some of the business ideas include: Mexican food truck, drive-thru grocery store, cultural cuisine cafe, human/dog cafe, pottery store, lawn care, grocery delivery, outdoor Christmas light hanging and removal, lawn care, sporting goods, online yo-yo sales, elderly day care, local trendy men’s clothing store, and many more for a total of 27 new business plans for our Nixa area and surrounding communities.
To submit the academic, extracurricular or community achievement of a youth, email education reporter Claudette Riley at criley@news-leader.com.
For 127 years, Coca-Cola has celebrated optimism and the pursuit of happiness. This Sunday, February 2, Coca-Cola will add to that legacy with a new 60-second ad on America’s biggest media stage: the Big Game.
During the second half, Coca-Cola will air the commercial titled “Going All the Way.” “Going All the Way” is an all-American tale of triumph over adversity. The unlikely hero is Adrian, a small but determined high school football player. He earns the confidence of his team when he gets the game-time opportunity of a lifetime. The opposing team fumbles the ball, and it lands in his arms. Now is the time for Adrian to shine. With support from his team, and the crowd, Adrian breaks through and perseveres to achieve greatness.
Coca-Cola is releasing “Going All the Way” to the public early in hopes of reaching 10,000 shares online. Once that is accomplished, the company will donate $50,000 to the Boys and Girls Club (BGCA) Triple Play program.
We’ve also posted the ad on our Facebook and Twitter page for you to watch, and then share with all of your friends. We encourage you to share your thoughts about the ad by using the hashtag #AmericaIsBeautiful.
Welcome to our new blog that will focus on getting to know the employees of Ozarks Coca-Cola Dr Pepper one by one each week. We invite you to read this and get a more in depth understanding of what we do at Coca-Cola. It takes many hands and minds to bring you the delicious Coca-Cola flavors we all love and enjoy!
1. How long have you worked here?
9 years
2. What do you do on a daily basis at Coca-Cola?
I operate and manage all of the convenience/gas station channels and also my guys who are in the stores daily taking orders and moving products.
3. What is your favorite thing about working here?
I love the idea of how huge Coke and Dr Pepper are. They are major icons in our world today. I also get to meet a lot of people on a daily basis and that keeps it interesting.
4. Tell me one thing about yourself that most people don’t know.
I was a chef before I worked at Coke and I have a passion for cooking.
5. If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?
I would live during the 1900’s when Coke was introduced to the market. I imagine walking into a pharmacy where it is sold by the glass for 5 cents and experiencing what it would be like without knowing this product would someday be world famous.
6. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?
I would buy my parents a house.
7. Tell me one thing from Coca-Cola’s past that has stuck in your mind.
I always remember that when Coke was first bottled and available for delivery, cases were delivered one at a time off of a truck. Glass bottles and wooden crates…. So simple but yet it made a mark in America’s history.
8. What is something new that you learned this week?
I was shopping in the grocery store and discovered Ghost Peppers. Apparently these are the hottest peppers on Earth! They are about 5 times hotter than a Habanero pepper and 2 times as much as a Jalapeño!
9. What is your favorite Coca-Cola product and why?
Diet Coke is my favorite product. I like the unique flavor and taste.
10. From working in this business and being around different products all the time, what product or flavor would you like Coke to come out with next?
I would love to see Coke come out with a Coke flavored crème soda.
11. If you could be any animal, what would you be?
I would be a monkey. They are full of life and always jumping around with so much energy, kind of like me.
“Watoto Children’s Choirs have travelled internationally since 1994 as advocates for the estimated 50 million children in Africa, orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, war, poverty and disease. Accompanied by a team of adults, the choir presents Watoto’s vision and mission through their stories, music and dance. Watoto choirs act as ambassadors to raise awareness about the plight of the orphaned and vulnerable children of Africa. The experience gives the children exposure to other cultures broadening their worldview. It also gives them confidence and boldness and helps them rise up out of their own situations of sadness and despair.” – http://www.watoto.com/the-choir
Randy Henkle, Operations Manager at Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper, decided to contact the Watoto group after seeing their tour bus in Springfield last year. He approached them about coming to tour the bottling facility, and a March 9, 2012 date was secured. The Watoto children are Ugandan orphans that perform in the United States amongst several other countries to earn funds and awareness for their orphanage. They come with big smiles, laughter, singing and dancing as they share their stories of how they have come to where they are now. Randy recounted a story he heard about a child that had been with the Choir for two years. “Before that he had made bricks out of mud for a man and sold them. This was a child only 6 years old.” He also shared a story about three young girls. “Another group of children’s father was killed in war, and the mother had neglected them, leaving them in their grandmother’s care. Once the grandmother had passed the girls took to the streets to beg. A priest picked them up off the streets and took them to Watoto.” The group that visited Ozarks consisted of 22 children with 11 adults. They were given a tour of the plant, and were able to see how the bottling process works. We made sure that they didn’t leave empty-handed, giving them goodie bags that included a Coke lunch sack, a Coke Frisbee, a Coke wristband, sunglasses and a Coke T-shirt. We hope that the Choir enjoyed their visit as much as we enjoyed having them, and we look forward to meeting new members in the future!
Ozarks First came out to capture the visit. Be sure to check out the video!
Every year, an employee from each of Ozark’s four branches is selected as their branch Salesperson of the Year. They are honored in front of their co-workers at an annual sales meeting at the beginning of the new year. The Springfield Branch 2011 Salesperson of the Year was awarded to Pamela Ogden.
Pam, a customer service representative, has worked for Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company for almost 6 years. She originally started out part-time and is now working full-time in the Tel-Sell department. Pam is in charge of receiving tel-sell calls, dispatching calls, and coordinating special events.
Pam’s superior said this as to why she was chosen, “Pam is very dedicated to customer service and does an outstanding job of promoting our brands. This is what sets her apart, and what helps to set Ozarks apart from our competition.”
Outside of work, Pam enjoys working with her church youth group, traveling, and being involved in a reading program with kids in the Kickapoo school district.
Pam is often found with a smile on her face as she talks with customers who call in with service requests. Who knows, the next time you need to call in an order with Ozarks, you just may have the pleasure of speaking with our 2011 Saleswoman of the year!
February could be considered a notable month because of the one famous day that always falls this time of year. Guys spend months looking forward to it, and women spend the whole day preparing for it. It’s a great way to spend time together; some even invite their family and friends to help celebrate it.
No, not Valentine’s Day, the Super Bowl of course!
The Coca-Cola Polar Bears made a new kind of debut this year, for the first year ever the Polar Bear commercials were played in “real time”. Each bear was adorned with a scarf depicting their choice team. Based on how the game was going, the Bears reacted to it. To view some of the commercials you may not have seen, click below.
In 2012, Dr Pepper will be launching its “Always One of a Kind” campaign. From its catchy new commercial to a custom designed T-shirt, Dr Pepper is encouraging consumers to come forward and say what makes them unique. So go ahead and don’t be shy…
To watch the commercial & customize your One of a Kind Dr Pepper Tee, visit http://www.drpepper.com/
