By Henry Luzzatto

Correspondent

Suffolk resident Phylicia Nixon recently was selected as a finalist for Coca-Cola’s Pay It Forward Academy, which awarded her with three days of mentoring with comedian and game show host Steve Harvey and a $5,000 scholarship.

The Nansemond River High School student was one of 19 to be selected out of a field of more than 40,000 applicants.

“I didn’t believe it when I won,” Nixon said. “I was overwhelmed. It was surreal.”

Nixon, her mother and the other finalists spent three days in Atlanta learning, networking and being mentored. On her first day, she toured the National Civil Rights Museum, after which they had a mentoring session with Glenda Hatchett of the reality show “Judge Hatchett.”

“When we were in our session, she said she had a connection with me,” Nixon said. “She said she could tell I was going to be something.”

During the next two days, they took a tour of the World of Coca-Cola, which was hosted by Big Ticket. Nixon and the others also went to an improvisatory comedy studio, where they met Steve Harvey for the first time.

After spending time learning about improv and acting, the hosts brought Steve Harvey, the host of Family Feud, on stage to meet the students. They had a chance to talk with Harvey afterwards in a session.

“He was talking to us about life in general,” Nixon said. “He said that you can’t take any shortcuts to success, which is something my band director told me a lot.”

On the final day, the students took a tour of CNN and had a writing workshop with a sportswriter. At the end, they received their diplomas from the Pay It Forward Academy in a graduation ceremony officiated by the heads of Coca-Cola.

Nixon, who is majorette captain for the Nansemond River High School marching band, credits the director, Edward Woodis, as being a big help in her application.

Each of the semifinalists had to create and submit a video showing why they should win. Nixon’s centered on her time in band and featured the entire Nansemond River marching band.

Nixon, a rising senior, said her scholarship will be put towards tuition to college, possibly Georgia State, the University of Virginia, Norfolk State University or the University of North Carolina.

Nixon said she is on track to be an honor graduate and has a shot at a Coca-Cola internship next summer.

“She did everything right that weekend,” said Phylicia Nixon’s mother, Reese Nixon. “We are so proud of her and so happy for her. It was amazing.”