The Selma Rotary Club welcomed seven young guests to their weekly meeting Monday, specifically seven bright high school students all hoping to earn a Rotary Scholarship Award.

The students, one from each high school in Dallas County, were nominated by their school to compete for the Rotary Scholarship. Once the meeting began, each student was called to the front to give a five-minute presentation on why they should be the recipient of the $1,500 scholarship award.

The students included Alexis Peasant from Southside High School, Me’Shellai McWilliams from Selma High School, JamiroQuan Williams from Keith High School, Andrew Swindle from John T. Morgan Academy, Hannah Davis from Dallas County High School, Samantha Clark from Meadowview Christian and Paullesia Crum from Ellwood Christian Academy.

These students are the best of the best, said Selma Rotary Club President Renee Wilkerson.

“These kids are an inspiration,” she said. “It’s just awesome that we’re doing this.”

Wilkerson said the club raises money for the scholarships all year, noting that every student who was selected to present will go home with a scholarship.

The student’s presentations were judged by Rotarians in categories including academics, extracurricular activities, church and community involvement, career goals, education and community vision. First place will receive a $1,500 scholarship, second place will receive a $1,000 scholarship, third place a $500 scholarship and fourth through seventh place will each receive a $150 scholarship award.

The purpose of having the selected students make a presentation before the Rotarians, scholarship committee chairman Mike Jung said is, “to encourage the young leaders to continue the next step.”

“These seven sitting here represent seven schools,” Jung said motioning to the students. “That’s saying you’re select; you’re special. I look at them and Rotary Club does too as the future leaders of Selma and Dallas County, Ala.”

Jung said he and the other Rotarians were impressed with what each of the students had to say.

“They’re very interested and very attentive to what the students were saying,” Jung said of his fellow club members. “I could look at their faces, those students — young ladies, young men — that’s what their attention was on.”

Jung said he hopes whoever wins the scholarship will use it to follow their path to success. The recipients of the awards will be notified by the end of the week.