Four seniors from the Great Neck Public Schools have been announced as semifinalists in the 2026 Coca-Cola Scholarship Program. North High senior Charlotte Nerayoff and South High seniors Emma Ding, Madeleine Lennox and Julia Xu are among 1,238 students nationwide recognized for their academic excellence, leadership and service in school and community activities.
More than 107,000 students across the country applied for the competition, and 1.12% of applicants earned semifinalist status. These students will advance to the next stage of the selection process by submitting a semifinalist application for review by the Program Reading Committee. After review, 250 students will advance as regional finalists, with 150 becoming Coca-Cola Scholars and receiving a $20,000 college scholarship.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs in the United States, a representative of the Great Neck school district said. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has provided more than $90 million in scholarships since 1986.
