Rotary Club 2024 scholarship competition

Six students competed for Rotary scholarships and were joined by the family of Renee Kelley Wilkerson, husband Paul Wilkerson and daughter Annese; parents Bob and Donna Kelley, and Rotary scholarship committee chair Jerria Martin and club President Collins Pettaway III. 

The Rotary Club of Selma held their annual Renee Kelley Wilkerson Day on Monday that includes giving away scholarships to seniors attending high schools in the Selma-Dallas County community.   

The scholarship amounts range from $1,500 to $200 and are given in the name of Wilkerson, a Selma native who served President of Selma Rotary Club and was the youngest president of a Rotary Club in the district at the time. She passed away in a car accident in 2017.  

Wilkerson’s husband, Paul, and daughter, Annese, were in attendance at the scholarship competition held at Rotary’s weekly meeting at Cornerstone Presbyterian.  

The competition challenged the seniors to give a five-minute speech discussing their accomplishments, community service and plans for the future.  

The first place winner was Lelia Kelly of Morgan Academy. Second place went to Li’Donna Woods of Dallas County High and third went to Julius Hayes of Southside High. The other three participants who also received scholarships were Anthony Richardson, Keith High; Christie Boswell, Ellwood Christian; and Seir Blake Perkins, Selma High.   

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