TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) will award twenty-five recent Florida high school graduates with the first-ever Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship℠, in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, during an awards ceremony planned for June 8th. The scholarships cover tuition and most fees for students to attend a Florida university, college, or vocational/technical school of their choice.
The Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship was launched in August 2023 as part of Coke Florida’s commitment to education. The scholarship program provides prepaid scholarships to students who are often overlooked academically and may not have adequate financial resources to pay for higher education. With matching funds from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, the Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship represents a $2.8 million investment and will support 250 scholarships over ten years. This commitment also aligns with the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Path to Prosperity initiative, a statewide effort to address generational poverty in underserved communities.
“Through our investment in the Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship program, Coke Florida continues its support of educational opportunities in the communities we serve,” said Percy L. Wells, II, group vice president, Government Relations, Public Affairs, and Communications for Coke Florida. “By supporting college education, we aim to jumpstart students’ exposure to career opportunities that lead to long-term self-sufficiency. We are honored to partner with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation to fund college education for this year’s class of 25 Florida students. Congratulations to our inaugural group of ‘Refreshing Minds’ scholars. We wish them well as they embark on the next phase of their educational journey.”
Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship – Class of 2024 |
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Ericka Alice - Pompano Beach Stephanie Bayard - Tampa Al'Takaria Brown - Arcadia Caniya Brown - Miami Angelo Colon - Immokalee Dashaun Crouch - Tampa Kassidi Davis - Jacksonville Wanayja Davis - Lehigh Acres Miracle Deveaux - Sarasota |
Ya'Mari Dubose - Jacksonville Rubiana Estrada - Immokalee Nico Flowers - Jacksonville Brianna Gonzalez-Munoz - Miami Laysha Guerrero - Sebring Magdalineda Guerrier - Lake Worth Kenea Jackson - Lehigh Acres Jah'Naye Jacob - Tampa Delano James - Coral Springs |
Marnelle Laguerre - Immokalee Kiera Longin - Miami Samantha Miller - Palmetto Claude Patterson - Hollywood Oswalcenit Pichardo - Miami La'Tavaia Rickerson - Jacksonville Luny Zapote - Deerfield Beach
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The scholars reside in communities across Coke Florida’s exclusive sales and distribution market, which includes the Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. They are active members of their local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate or Boys & Girls Club.
Obtaining advanced education and developing their interests and skills without financial burdens are essential to supporting the young adults selected for the inaugural class of Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship recipients.
“We congratulate these students and their families for their dedication and academic achievements thus far,” said Florida Prepaid College Foundation Director Cynthia O’Connell. “We are proud to partner with Coke Florida and thank them for their generous contribution. Together, we were able to provide something extraordinary to these students, a pathway to college.”
Coke Florida will host a scholarship awards ceremony for the students and their families on Saturday, June 8th, at Universal Orlando Resort.
For more on the Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship, visit cokefloridascholarship.com.
About Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC
Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is the sixth largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Coke Florida markets, sells, manufactures, distributes, and merchandises products of The Coca-Cola Company in an exclusive territory that covers over 21 million consumers across 47 Florida counties that includes the Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. The company employs over 5,000 associates and has four GreenCircle certified manufacturing facilities and eighteen sales and distribution centers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Tampa, Coke Florida is the one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States and is Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified. In 2024, Coke Florida was recognized as a US Best Managed Company by Deloitte-Private and The Wall Street Journal for the third consecutive year. To learn more, visit cokeflorida.com.
© 2024 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC. “Refreshing Minds Scholarship” is a service mark of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC. The Caps and Gowns Design is a trademark of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC. The Coca-Cola Contour Bottle is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.
