By Chelsea Vance | The Selma Times-Journal

An essay contest next month will allow local students to win some cash and be mayor of Selma for a day.

Youth and Senior Coordinator Venecia Eaton recently decided to extend the deadline for the “Mayor for a Day” essay contest. The original deadline was Friday, Dec 18, but that will be pushed back to Jan. 8.

“A lot of the schools didn’t send the information to students in time,” Eaton said.

Eaton said she wanted to extend the deadline to give all students who want to enter the contest a chance to do so.

The contest is open to all students from Selma and Dallas County. Students should write about what they would do to encourage people to get more involved in city government if they were mayor of Selma. The essay is required to be handwritten.

Eaton said that the essays could be mailed to City Hall as long as they are postmarked no later than Jan. 8.

There are three different categories: elementary, which is kindergarten through the fifth grade; middle school, which is sixth through eighth grade; and high school, which is ninth grade through 12th grade.

Essays can be dropped off on Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Eaton will announce the winners Jan. 22 through local media and by contacting the schools. Each winner would receive three perks. The first would be to be the mayor for the day, which would include shadowing Mayor George Evans. The young writers also will receive a $25 Wal-Mart gift card and a goodie bag.

“This is just something to get the kids hyped up about writing. Penmanship really, just writing in general,” Eaton said.

About 20 essays have been submitted so far, but none from the high school level.

For more information, contact Venecia Eaton via email at ysccoodinator@selma-al.gov.