Hempstead Town Honors Wantagh Teen for Coca-Cola Scholars Program Honors

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and members of the Town Board honored the township’s four high-school seniors, including a Wantagh resident and student at  who were recently named national finalists for the prestigious 2011-12 Coca-Cola Scholars program.

MacArthur High School senior Jacklyn Sullivan is among the three other students . The students were presented with Hempstead Town certificates prior to the June 5 Town Board meeting.

The other Hempstead Town’s Coca-Cola Scholar Finalists are Jacqueline Aquino of Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School, Megan Goldberg of H. Frank Carey Junior-Senior High School in Franklin Square, and Stephanie Morales of Freeport High School.

“There is an adage that cautions, ‘the path to our achievements lies within our courage to make choices,’” Murray said. “The students whom we honor today have made choices throughout their academic career and they will enjoy successes commensurate with the work they’ve put into all of their endeavors and the pro-education choices they have made.

The four talented students are among a select group of 250 students nationwide in the finalist pool, and are eligible for either a $20,000 or $10,000 scholarship. An extensive process included applications, essays, letters of recommendations and official transcripts. The 250 national finalists were selected from a pool of more than 2,200 semifinalists.

“These four students have really distinguished themselves as scholars and we are so proud to recognize their achievements tonight,” Murray said. “We know that they will each go far as they continue to make positive choices in pursuit of their education and career goals.”