NATCHEZ — The Miss-Lou chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame will award seven area high school athletes with scholarships in Thursday night’s 27th annual banquet at the Natchez Eola Hotel.

“We want to award the seven area athletes who performed well academically and in extra-curricular activities,” foundation director Terry Estes said. “We didn’t necessarily look for the best athletes, but the best student athletes.”

One athlete from each each of the seven local schools will receive a scholarship. The total amount of the scholarships will be $10,000.

The students were selected for the award by a committee at the Co-Lin Natchez campus after they were nominated by coaches and guidance counselors at the schools.

The seven student-athletes who will receive scholarships are Lee Guedon at ACCS, Jesse Morrison at Cathedral, Kendrick Harris at Ferriday, Seth Swilley at Huntington, Kendall Logan at Natchez, Parker Brumfield at Trinity and Jeremy Washington at Vidalia.

This year’s scholarship amount is greater than last year’s thanks to the Joe Fortunato Celebrity Golf Tournament, which takes place each May to raise money for that purpose.

“Back when we first started in 1981, we awarded the athletes with a certificate of accomplishment,” Estes said. “We’ve gone from that to now a $10,000 in scholarship money.”

Seven junior high athletes will also be recognized at the banquet.

Those are Kent Yates at ACCS, Daniel Huffines at Cathedral, Derius Jolla at Ferriday, Levi Brown at Huntington, Kent King at Trinity and Christopher Dylan Knapp at Vidalia.

Alcorn State football coach Ernest Jones will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

“We are excited for Coach Jones to be talking to the kids,” Estes said. “He’s building a new program with a new attitude at Alcorn and he’s a part of our community. We wanted to give him the opportunity to talk to us.”

Tickets are $15 each. To purchase tickets to the banquet, contact either Estes at 601-446-6555 or Catherine Fortunato at 601-442-5481.