The city of Selma’s Summer Youth Employment lottery resembled a real lottery Wednesday, as selected candidates jumped for joy after receiving a summer job.

More than 300 people packed into the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center in hopes of being one of the 150 names drawn. Mayor George Evans and several city council members randomly pulled names out of eight buckets that sat on a stage.

Third Ward Councilman Greg Bjelke said this year’s lottery was filled with enthusiasm. He said he wants selected candidates to take that enthusiasm to their jobs.

“I want these children to know this isn’t just a paying job,” he said. “I want them to learn from this job experience. I want them to show up on time, dress properly and take instructions carefully.”

It came down to one of the last two names in the bucket before Wallace Community College Selma student Jamyron Hope went home with a job. He said he didn’t expect to get picked because the bucket was getting emptier. Hope said he’s happy he happy to have the chance to work this summer.

“It ( the lottery) means I can help my mom buy more school clothes for my sister,” he said. “I can also buy more stuff for myself.”

Hope wasn’t the only one excited. His mother Schokie Hope felt the same. She said her son has been selected in every lottery he has entered, since about the eleventh grade.

“Right now we only have one means of transportation, and it will help him start on a car,” she said. “He’s going to school, so that’ll help him get whatever he needs for school.”

Hope said she hopes the city will continue to hold the lottery because it will help out other children and families.

Candidates will now be interviewed within the next two weeks. They will then be divided into two sessions for work. The first session will start June 2 through June 25. The second session will be July 6 through July 30.

Each summer employee will work 16 hours each week from Monday through Thursday at a pay rate of $7.25 per hour. A wide selection of jobs will be availables. Areas of employment include the mayor’s office, the city council office, the police department, the planning and development office, the Selma-Dallas County Public Library and other departments.

“There are roughly 200 children who’ll be working, when they might be doing something else,” Evans said. “It’ll give them working skills and money in their pockets.”