East LA teen earns $20,000 Coca-Cola Scholarship, headed to Harvard

A 16-year-old senior at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles has been named a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar and awarded $20,000, placing him among just 150 students chosen each year from tens of thousands of applicants nationwide, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program awards $20,000 each to just 150 high school seniors selected from tens of thousands of applicants across the country, making it one of the most competitive student scholarships in the United States.

Gonzalez, 16, is a senior at James A. Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. ABC7 Los Angeles reported Monday that he has been selected for the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation's 2026 class.

The foundation picks 150 scholars each year from a nationwide pool of tens of thousands of high school seniors. Each recipient receives a $20,000 award.

To be formally recognized alongside the other members of the 2026 class, Gonzalez traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

He plans to enroll at Harvard University in the fall of 2026.

Gonzalez's selection places him in the 2026 class of Coca-Cola Scholars — one of 150 students chosen from across the country, each awarded $20,000 by the foundation.