A local youth group is looking to take the initiative and make the steps necessary to become the leaders of tomorrow.

The current Youth Leadership Selma-Dallas County class is preparing a project it hopes will raise money for the Selma Animal Shelter.

Rachel Gomes, a youth mentor for the leadership class, said the project will be an art contest for all schools in Dallas County from kindergarten to 12th grade.

“It’ll be ages K-12 in an art contest, and they’ll have a $1 submission fee,” Gomes said. “All the proceeds go to the (Selma) Animal Shelter. Then we decide as a class who is the winner and on Donation Day we’re going to announce the winner and put the name into a drawing. It’s going to be three separate things.”

Gomes said March 10 is the target date for Donation Day, but that could change.

She said anyone interested in helping the shelter at the drawing can also get involved.