The administration committee of the Selma City Council interviewed 12 applicants on Tuesday for the Selma City School Board. Only four will be selected.

Dr. James Carter, superintendent for Selma City Schools, said the board will have four vacancies by May. Councilwoman Bennie Ruth Crenshaw, chairperson for the committee, said those vacancies could be filled as early as the next council meeting.

A called meeting of the council has been called for today at 3:00 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting is April 14 at 5:00 p.m.

Councilwoman and committee member Jean Martin added that many applicants said they grew up in Selma and wanted to give something back to the community.

One of those applicants was Pershanda Denice White, a 1997 graduate of Selma High School.

When asked by Crenshaw why she wanted to be part of the school board and what innovative ideas she’d bring to the table, White answered she was interested in children’s education.

Udo Ufomadu, another school board applicant with three children in the public school system, said he’d like to put together a program for school cafeterias.

Ufomadu was quick to point out the differences in child nutrition and food safety, though, when asked about school menus by Council President George Evans.

Ann Fitts, one of the applicants, said she has always been interested in education and children.

If appointed to the board, Fitts said she wouldn’t immediately jump in with her ideas, but would instead take time to learn how the board operated.

Fitts said she realized that problems within the school system couldn’t be solved overnight, but she expressed hope that the board could move towards fixing those problems.