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NEXT SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE ACADEMIC PAPER AWARDS: 05.01.06 |
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Member Highlights |  |
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NSHSS member Natasa Kovacevic Coca-Cola Scholar Weekend
Sporting the trademark Coca-Cola red, I joined 250 high school seniors at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. From across United States, we had made our way to Georgia to kick off the 20th Annual Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend--one of the most invigorating and memorable of our lives. The evening of April 6th officially opened the weekend, as the 20th class of Coca-Cola Scholars assembled at the Georgia World Congress Center for a gala celebration. Seated with leading corporate sponsors in a ballroom reminiscent of the Academy Awards, we heard past scholars relate incredible personal journeys, stories of survival and triumph, of faith and fulfillment. Representatives from the Coca-Cola Corporation and Scholars Foundation honored the scholars with words of appreciation and encouragement. Mr. Neville Isdell, CEO of the Coca-Cola Corporation, appeared in person to deliver a moving message of integrity, perseverance, and dedication. The next few days were a whirlwind of excursions, seminars, and special events. The "Red Shirts" flooded the Georgia Aquarium and the Coca-Cola Museum, as well as Coca-Cola's World Headquarters in Atlanta. Particularly stirring was the tour of Atlanta's Martin Luther King Center, where I was able to pay my respects to a man who embodied courage. A riverboat dinner and dance on Stone Mountain Lake brought the weekend to an end on Saturday night. When Sunday morning came, I was a strange mix of exhaustion and exhilaration--but I was not prepared to say goodbye to Atlanta. In four short days, I had made the acquaintance of an unbelievable group of young people-- passionate, vastly talented, and relentlessly dedicated. Yet what I most admired in my fellow Scholars was their unaffected humility. It is remarkable that such an accomplished group of young people could be at once genuinely humble and unpretentious. Despite a rather large group and brief span of time, friendships were unexpectedly easy to form. I often tell my family in former Yugoslavia that educational opportunities in America are second to none. Indeed, organizations such as NSHSS and Coca-Cola are a testament to America's devotion to its youth. Hard work, of course, is indispensable; but nowhere else is commitment rewarded to so profoundly. I am tremendously honored to be part of the Coca-Cola family, and I look forward to seeing my fellow scholars change their communities and the world. I urge all rising seniors to apply for the Coca-Cola Scholarship this fall! (If you need more encouragement, did I mention unlimited free soda for the entire weekend?!) |
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