Selma-Dallas County Leadership Class XXIII is a little smaller than those in years past, but we’re sure the class will still make its mark on our community.

The class of 12 held its kickoff meeting Friday morning at Vaughan Regional Medical Center. The participants are from all sorts of different backgrounds — education, ministry, police work and when they left on Friday, they were still strangers for the most part.

By the time the weekend is over, we’re sure they’ll know each other well enough and be confident and ready to change Selma for the better.

That’s the best part about the leadership class. Not only does it give the class a chance to see Selma from a new perspective, but it also puts members in a group with others that might see the same situation differently. It’s a blend of different backgrounds and personalities.

Through the years, the leadership classes have come up some extraordinary projects that have really benefitted the community. The Alabama River Chili Cookoff continues to be leadership’s flagship event. The Cookoff was started by Class XVIII and continues to be one of Selma’s most anticipated events each year.

“The bar is really high and not only that but the other classes are willing to let them know the bar is high,” joked Callie Nelson, the interim director for the leadership program.

We can’t wait to see what this year’s class will do for Selma in the future.