Los Alamos High School Senior Alyssa Sun Named 2026 Coca‑Cola Regional Finalist

Los Alamos High School senior Alyssa Sun has been named a Regional Finalist for the 2026 class of the Coca‑Cola Scholars Program, advancing in a national competition that began with more than 107,000 applications. The regional finalist designation moves Sun forward in a multi-stage selection process that ultimately awards $20,000 college scholarships to the final cohort.

The Coca‑Cola Scholars Program is a joint effort of Coca‑Cola bottlers across the country and The Coca‑Cola Company and is the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship program in the United States. With the addition of the 2026 class, the foundation will have provided more than 7,200 Coke Scholars nationwide with over $90 million in scholarships over the course of 38 years. From the initial applicant pool, 1,238 high school seniors were named semifinalists; semifinalists submit essays, a recommendation, and transcripts for further review. From that stage, 250 regional finalists were to be chosen in January, and 150 students will be selected as Coca‑Cola Scholars in the spring.

Sun’s application reflects a broad mix of academic and extracurricular commitments at Los Alamos High School. Her school activities include participation in Science Fair, Rotary Interact, Hilltalkers, and DECA, and she is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta math society. Sun plans to major in applied mathematics and has interests in artificial intelligence and economic policy. She also described her entrepreneurial side: “I also own small businesses on Etsy, designing and selling handmade stickers in my free time,” she said.

Principal Eric Ziegler framed the achievement as both personal and communal. “We are so proud of Alyssa and all that she has accomplished here at LAHS,” Ziegler said. “She continues to push herself to achieve great heights, and I know she will do amazing things in the near future. She is well deserving of this recognition, and we are all rooting for her as she moves to the next round!” Ziegler added broader praise for the school’s candidates: “We are incredibly proud of our students for being named Coca‑Cola Scholarship semifinalists. This recognition reflects not only their academic excellence, but also their leadership, service, and dedication to making a difference in our community. Their hard work and character truly represent the best of Los Alamos High School.”

Sun appears on the Coca‑Cola Scholars Foundation list with Los Alamos High School noted alongside her name. Another LAHS senior, John Kang, was also named a semifinalist in the earlier round; sources list Kang among semifinalists but do not indicate whether he advanced to regional finalist status.

For Los Alamos residents, Sun’s advancement underscores the reach of national scholarship programs into a small, high-achieving community and the potential for private-sector scholarship dollars to reduce future college costs for local students. The next major milestone is the spring announcement of 150 Coca‑Cola Scholars; local updates on Sun’s status and photo credits are expected as the process concludes.