{"id":171047,"date":"2026-03-22T00:09:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T00:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/171047\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T00:09:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T00:09:38","slug":"byron-brown-jr-a-cardinal-hayes-high-school-senior-named-2026-coca-cola-scholar-awarded-a-20k-college-scholarship-the-bronx-daily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/171047\/","title":{"rendered":"Byron Brown, Jr., A Cardinal Hayes High School Senior, Named 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar, Awarded A $20K College Scholarship | The Bronx Daily"},"content":{"rendered":"

Byron Brown, Jr., an exceptional senior at Cardinal Hayes High School<\/a> in Bronx, NY, has been recognized as one of the country\u2019s most outstanding high school leaders by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation<\/a>\u00a0and has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship.<\/p>\n

\"Byron<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Byron<\/a><\/p>\n

Brown is one of just 150 recipients selected from more than 107,000 applicants nationwide\u00a0\u2014\u00a0an acceptance rate of less than 1\/7th\u00a0of 1%. This highly competitive scholarship recognizes exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and service, evaluated through a rigorous three\u2011stage selection process. See the full list of 2026 Scholars here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As a member of the 38th\u00a0class of Coca-Cola Scholars,\u00a0Brown not only exemplifies superior leadership, service, and academics\u00a0\u2014\u00a0he is a change agent, positively affecting others in the community.\u00a0While pursuing his academic and professional goals, he has remained deeply committed to service \u2014 particularly in addressing gaps in healthcare access and information. Brown has supported his community by volunteering in local nursing homes, where he assists older adults with nutrition and diet education, and by visiting community spaces to engage vulnerable populations in conversations about drug-use prevention.<\/p>\n

Witnessing his grandmother\u2019s struggle with Type II diabetes\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and the challenges his family faced navigating the healthcare system\u00a0\u2014\u00a0exposed Brown to the realities of inequitable access to care.\u00a0Seeing how limited resources affected her treatment inspired him to take action.\u00a0In response, Brown founded the nonprofit Care Without Barriers\u00a0(in the Co-op City cooperative housing development)\u00a0to expand healthcare awareness and access for youth in underserved communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy grandmother\u2019s diabetes diagnosis exposed me to the real-life consequences of healthcare disparities and fueled my interest in medicine,\u201d said Brown.\u00a0\u201cBeyond motivation, those experiences also gave me a unique perspective on the different challenges people face when accessing care.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Coca-Cola Scholars will attend Coca-Cola Scholars Weekend in Atlanta April 23-26,\u00a02026, where they will be the guests of honor at the 38th\u00a0annual Coca-Cola Scholars Banquet and participate in the Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Development Institute facilitated by program alumni.\u202fCollectively, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation will award $3.1 million in college scholarships to these outstanding young leaders.\u202f\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following his graduation, Brown plans to attend a four-year university where he will study neuroscience on a pre-medical track. He hopes to become a neurosurgeon while remaining deeply involved in public health advocacy, working to improve healthcare access and expand medical resources for underserved communities worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecoming a Coca-Cola Scholar has been incredibly meaningful because it connects me to a community of leaders who are committed to service and impact,\u201d shared Brown.\u00a0\u201cLearning from the experiences of other scholars and alumni will help guide me as I continue pursuing medicine and expanding my advocacy work in healthcare.\u201d<\/p>\n

A joint effort of Coca-Cola bottlers across the U.S.\u00a0and The Coca-Cola Company, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States.\u00a0With the addition of the 2026 class,\u00a0the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation<\/a>\u00a0will have provided more than 7,200 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $90 million in scholarships as it celebrates 40 years of impact since its founding in 1986.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiberty Coca-Cola is incredibly proud of the 2026 scholars from our territory, whose dedication, resilience, and brilliance reflect the very best of our communities,\u201d said Mayra Linares\u2011Garcia, Vice President of Public Affairs & Communications at Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, the local Coca-Cola bottler and distributor. \u201cTheir achievements already demonstrate the power of young people to shape a brighter future, and we are honored to support them as they continue to inspire positive change in their communities and our world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe 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.\u201d said Jane Hale Hopkins, President of the Foundation. \u201cThe 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.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to receiving college scholarships, the new 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. Unique opportunities include a coaching program that partners seasoned alumni with first-year Scholars as they transition to college, professional and personal development programming, and a Coca-Cola Scholars Leadership Summit<\/a>\u00a0every five years.<\/p>\n

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\"Byron<\/a><\/p>\n

About the\u202fCoca-Cola\u202fScholars Foundation<\/p>\n

The\u202fCoca-Cola\u202fScholars Foundation empowers visionary leaders refreshing the world. Celebrating 40 years of impact since 1986, the Foundation has provided more than $90 million in scholarships to over 7,200 Coke Scholars who together have become a powerful force for positive change.<\/p>\n

For more information, please visit\u202fcoca-colascholarsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Byron<\/a><\/p>\n

About Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, LLC<\/p>\n

Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, LLC is a privately-owned bottler that operates production facilities in Philadelphia, PA, Moorestown, NJ, and Elmsford, NY and sales and distribution centers in Philadelphia, PA, Marmora and South Brunswick, NJ; the Bronx, Maspeth, Elmsford, New Windsor, and Smithtown, NY.<\/p>\n

For more information, please visit LibertyCoke.com<\/a>, and follow us on X<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com<\/a><\/p>\n