In the calm town of Coppell, senior Tisya Yadav’s room is her retreat. Painted in calming blues, it hosts a piano and a study desk that witnesses her dreams taking shape.

At 17, Coppell is where Yadav has always called home. Her story is about hard work and determination, a journey filled with chasing passions and finding purpose in reading, through books like A Thousand Splendid Suns. The recent recognition as a Coca-Cola semifinalist is a nod to the dedication she’s poured in since early high school.

For Yadav, being a semifinalist is a simple affirmation.

“It means my hard work has paid off, pushing me to follow my passions in the future,” Yadav said. 

Last summer, she participated in cancer research through the Well Summer Scholar and Polygence programs, inspired by a family history and a genuine interest in learning. Yadav learned countless life lessons and insight on the research process. Leading up to her published symposium presentation and research on endometrial cancer on Polygence.

“Cancer research is such a tedious process and although I only did it for a little while, it taught me the hard work, patience, and determination because there is no guarantee of a solution,” Yadav said.

While Yadav finds inspiration in her mom’s support and friends who stand by her during high school challenges, with work and balance. It is the stories of suffering during hospital volunteering that fuel her drive to make a difference.

“When I see others suffering without the same privileges, it makes me want to do something to better their lives,” Yadav said. “They don’t choose to be sick.” 

In moments of fatigue, she envisions a future where her hard work becomes success. Motivated by the promise of accomplishments yet to unfold, Yadav’s character, shaped by dedication and a pursuit of passion, is not just recognized through awards but stands as a testament to the genuine person she aspires to be.

“In the future, I’ll be this person, and this is just a small hurdle I have to pass,” Yadav said. 

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Lost in his code, senior Aryan Bansal types away on his computer. But his work on the computer is for more than a class project. For the past two years, Bansal has coded websites for various local nonprofit organizations including Greater Dallas Arya Samaj Cancer Clinic. It is those efforts that led him to become a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship program. 

“I realized that there’s a lot of large nonprofits we know of like American Heart Association or Red Cross,” Bansal said. “But there are smaller organizations too, that don’t have the corporate outreach to expand their impacts.”

As Bansal developed a penchant for coding by being a member of the Technology Student Association (TSA) since 10th grade, he realized his talent could have a higher impact than merely within the school. 

“I developed a skill in programming websites, and I thought I could use it to help people,” Bansal said. “I called and emailed organizations and some were interested. Since a third party website creator costs a lot of money, these organizations couldn’t create websites before.”

In addition to TSA, Bansal has been competing in band since middle school because of the community it nurtures. 

“I took band because many of my friends were taking it,” Bansal said. “I also did TSA because of its access to competitions and my friends were doing it. I joined a lot of activities because I wanted to do something with my friends.” 

Bansal’s natural propensity towards community is also reflected in his advice to applicants.  

“It’s important to not limit your scope,” Bansal said. “You can take the activity and make it community based. If you’re able to take something you’re passionate about and give something back to the community within the realm of your passion.”

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The sparkling lights glisten on her face as she waves confidently to the judges.

Performing in glamorous pageants showcasing traditional Indian fashion as well as taking initiative in leading a youth and government organization, senior Anusha Narway’s achievements have led her to become a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship program. 

“Pageants are really important to me because they represent my journey of embracing my South Asian identity,” Narway said. “I learned that pageants aren’t a competition about who the prettiest girl is, it’s actually about your character, values and the impact you have made in your community.”

Besides her impressive experiences in pageants such as the Miss Teen Global Glamour Extravaganza, Narway’s busy life consists of holding debates, triumphing in Youth and Government competitions and countless other activities. 

She was the founder of Coppell High School’s first YG chapter and has been club president ever since. 

“My favorite part about leading Youth and Government is definitely watching my delegates win their own awards for debate and cheering them on while they present their bills,” Narway said.

Along with her many passions, Narway is rooted in her will to make a change in her community. 

“I truly enjoyed the sense of fulfillment I got through helping others in any way I could,” Narway said. “I am an aspiring physician-policymaker, and I hope to advocate and lobby for more public health interventions and healthcare reform laws in the future.”

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In addition to writing medical articles as vice president of the Rotary Interact Club and playing the flute in the Coppell Band, senior Abhilash Katuru is also working toward becoming a finalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship after becoming a semifinalist.

According to Katuru, his position as an artificial intelligence researcher at Harvard Medical School is what helped him earn the title as a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship.

“I helped research a cheaper way to detect a disease called glaucoma,” Katuru said. “Coca-Cola strongly values research so I thought it  was a big reason why I won.”

The scholarship winners are awarded $20,000. However, the money is not the biggest motivator for Katuru; it is the process of applying that is his key takeaway.

“It’s just been the community I’ve been exposed to,” Katuru said. “I’ve had to talk to a lot of previous Coca-Cola Scholarship winners to know what kind of applicants they usually accept. It was very inspiring to talk to them, because they were outstanding students themselves and are doing great things in college now.” 

In addition to the application process, another inspiration that kept Katuru going was the final destination of Atlanta, where all the scholarship winners have the opportunity to go.

“When you fly out to Atlanta, there are people over there who get into top universities and are outstanding achievers in academics and community service,” Katuru said. “I don’t know yet if I’m going to make it, but I really hope so, because meeting those people is going to be inspiring.”

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