The Pearl River County Ministerial Alliance Scholarship Committee is currently accepting scholarship applications from local students pursuing a college education.

Last week, the committee held its 2015 scholarship fundraiser to raise money for the program, which awards supplemental funds to select students in order to help cover their college expenses, Minister David Lee Hughes, the committee’s secretary, said.

During the fundraiser, the 2014 Pearl River County High School scholarship recipients were honored, including Stasha Plummer, Sarah Richard and James Paul Avery, who attends Jones Community College, and Matthew Spiers, who attends Hinds Community College, Hughes said.

Each recipient received $500 in scholarship money.

“We decided to start this scholarship years ago because it gives these students money in their pockets, instead of it going directly to the institution,” he said. “It goes for their books, items like a refrigerator and even sneakers.”

This year, Hughes said the committee plans to award funds to more students.

“We’d also like to go up this year and give $1,000 to each student,” he said. “This is an investment for the future of Pearl River County.”

To apply, graduating students from Pearl River County schools can receive an application in person or by mailing the request to Hughes’s office, which is located at 911 E. Sycamore Rd.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must fill out an application, write an essay and turn in several documents, including a letter of acceptance and a letter of attendance from a university or community college, Hughes said.

For more information, contact Hughes at (228) 304-7219.

The application deadline is Thursday, April 30.