Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

College News

The Office of University Relations/Admissions at Henderson State University has announced that John David Coston has been awarded the Award of Achievement Scholarship for 2000-2001.

Coston is the son of David and Dianne Coston. He is currently a student at Gurdon High School.

According to director Vikita Bell Hardwrick, the Award of Achievement Scholarship is equivalent to $500 per semester for up to four years, which equals approximately $4,000.

Brandi Escalante, an outstanding senior at Gurdon High School, will start college next fall with the help of Wichita Coca-Cola Bottling Company and The Coca-Cola Company.

Escalante is the daughter of Stan and Cindi Escalante of Gurdon.

Escalante is one of 252 high school seniors nationwide to compete as a finalist for a cash scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. On April 27 Escalante will join 251 outstanding high school seniors as they travel to Atlanta, Ga., the headquarters for The Coca-Cola Company, to compete for 52 four-year college scholarships of $20,000 and 200 four-year scholarships of $4,000.

Over a three-day period, the scholars will interview with a National Selection Committee, tour the city, meet with former Coca-Cola Scholars and participate in a wide range of activities including a community service project.

In addition, the 2000 Class of Coca-Cola Scholars will be recognized at a banquet hosted by Coca-Cola, educators, local dignitaries and friends of the foundation.

The 2000 Coca-Cola Scholars were chosen from an initial applicant pool of more than 117,000 high school seniors representing more than 16,500 high schools nationwide.

Escalante was selected based on her academic excellence, school and community extracurricular activities.

Meredith Smith, a senior accounting major from Gurdon, and Lisa Honey, a senior mass communications and speech communications major from Arkadelphia, are both competing in the 80th annual Ouachitonian Beauty Contest.

The contest will be held Monday, April 24, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the board room of Evans Student Center on the OBU campus.

The winner of the event will be featured in the 2000 edition of the award-winning Ouachitonian year book and the 2000 Tiger Talk Today football game program.

Announcements of the winner and four runners-up will take place at approximately 9:30 p.m on the bridge of Evans Student Center. The public is invited to attend the announcement presentation. There is no admission charge.