Holden named semifinalist for Coca-Cola Scholarship
Camila Holden, a Hot Springs World Class High School senior, has been named a semifinalist for a $20,000 scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.
“I’m very proud of myself and honestly surprised because I know how big the scholarship is, and what a few number of students get to be involved with it,” Holden said.
“I’m really proud. I’m surprised and happy about it and excited for the next phase because there are a couple more things I have to do and interviews I have to complete in order to get to the final phase. It’s definitely exciting considering it’s a $20,000 scholarship,” she said.
Holden said she has been applying to colleges for two to three months and had to get multiple letters of recommendation from her teachers, picking which one would be the best for which school.
Holden has also written several essays and asked people to read them to see if they sounded right. When it came time for the Coca-Cola scholarship, she was ready with her community descriptions and her activity descriptions, specifically for that scholarship, she said, noting it was one of the first things that she
applied to earlier this school year.
“It was a lengthy process. They had a certain number of words for each activity, and I’m in quite a few activities. It was kind of a lengthy, very time-consuming process. I am obviously glad I did it. I’m glad that the effort that it took contributed to my other college applications, as well,” Holden said.
“I think that as a student, I’m not generally the most smartest person in the room or the superhigh-score-like genius,” she said.
“I think I’m just a very committed person. I think I give my best effort, no matter what I’m in. I commit to as many activities as I can hold leadership positions. I’m a very committed, persevering person. I think that’s why they chose me for the scholarship because I’ve demonstrated that throughout my high school career that I will be there, I’m responsible, I’m mature, I will commit to what I put my name down for, and I will do my best,” Holden said.
Holden noted she is a perfectionist, and it’s hard for her to acknowledge wins when she gets them.
“This was one of those where I had to sit down and kind of give myself a pat on the back for the first time in a while because college applications are stressful and I am not the best at recognizing when I’ve done a good job,” Holden said.
“I think that this national level scholarship is a good way for me to be OK. I’m doing good, good landmarks, good milestones. I can move on from here and take what I’ve learned, even if I don’t get to the final stage, I was still a good enough student for them to choose me and I’ll put in the effort to get this far,” she said.
“I am very gifted in school. I was raised that way. I was born that way, and I’m blessed and grateful to have school come easily to me,” she said.
Holden has applied to 34 colleges, with a goal to apply to 50, and has been accepted to 14 colleges so far, she said, noting her dream school is Northwestern University in Illinois.
“I have basically a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Arizona, and I’m a finalist for the Chancellor’s Scholarship, which is a full ride to Texas Christian as well,” Holden said.
Holden plans on majoring in vocal performance to improve her vocal skills, to be able to have it as a side job.
“I love to perform. Performing is my passion. I will be doing premed requirements throughout my college education so that I can go to medical school afterward because my chosen profession is ER medicine,” Holden said.
“Vocal performance will be my major; I’ll just be completing premed requirements to be able to go to medical school.”
Holden completed the Sweethearts program and volunteered at National Park Medical Center and with LifeNet.
“It was life-changing for me. I was so moved by the dedication of the health care workers to their patients, and that led me to seek out other volunteering opportunities. I job shadowed an ER doctor right before the pandemic,” Holden said.
“I want to stress how grateful I am to be a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship because I am not the most self-confident person when it comes to everything that I do,” she said.
“We couldn’t be more proud of Camila. We love seeing our Trojan students recognized at this level for their outstanding achievements. She is beyond deserving of this great honor and consideration,” Hot Springs School District Superintendent Stephanie Nehus said.