When Selma resident George Rodriguez was 18, he wanted to be a teacher.

Almost 11 years later, he's doing what he set out to do, thanks in part to a $500 scholarship he received from the Mexican American Community Club of Selma.

"It enabled me with my initial step in my college career," said the eighth-grade teacher at Lincoln Middle School.

On April 25, 10 Selma High seniors will, like George, get a financial jump-start with their college careers when the club holds its annual scholarship banquet at the Spike 'N Rail restaurant.

Since 1957, the Mexican American Community Club of Selma has given residents like Rodriguez the opportunity to pursue their academic dreams and career goals through scholarships.

In total, the club gives out 10 scholarships per year, worth $500 each, to graduating Mexican American students at Selma High, said treasurer Jean Rodriguez.

Jean Rodriguez, who is the mother of George Rodriguez, said the main purpose of the club is to help "Hispanic students to be able to succeed in their education."

Her uncle, Nick Medina and her father, Joe Medina, started the club along with the help of many Hispanic businessmen in Selma, Rodriguez said.

Jean's sons were also all at one time awarded the scholarship and she thinks it's helped them immensely.

"My main goal was to see them succeed and see them get ahead in life," Jean said. "I always told my boys to be involved, and education was the main thing (and) that you have to study hard."

All three of her son's are now teachers in the area around Selma.

Her son George -- a 1997 graduate of Selma High -- doesn't just teach eighth-grade, either. He's also the athletics director at Lincoln Middle School.

After he finished high school, George started his undergraduate studies at Reedley College, transferred to Fresno City College and eventually earned his bachelor's degree in English at California State University, Fresno, in 2000. He then received his master's degree in education administration from CSU-Fresno in 2006.

Although the scholarship he received in 1997 didn't cover all the costs of college, it still helped.

"It helped me purchase books," he said. "It was mainly the book part, it gave me my first start."

George, like his mother, thinks this scholarship is important for Hispanic students in Selma, especially when they come back and help their community.

"Hopefully they do accomplish some good with it and come back to the city of Selma and (become) contributing members of society," he said.

Even recent Selma High graduates find that the scholarship has helped them attain their academic goals.

"If I wouldn't have gotten this scholarship, I probably wouldn't have come to this college," said Anthony Puente, who's now a freshman at Fresno Pacific University.

Puente graduated from Selma High in 2007 and said he hasn't yet declared a major. Although, he is leaning towards psychiatry.

So far, the scholarship has been instrumental in helping him not only realize what he wants to do with his life, but has given him a taste of life as a young adult, he said.

"It's benefited me so much," Puente said. "I get to live on campus and do what I love -- run track. It's probably the best experience I've ever had, as far as living on my own ... to see what it's like after leaving the house."

Those in Selma who'd like to contribute to the scholarship program or buy tickets to the April banquet can contact Jean Rodriguez at 360-9721. Rodriguez requested that people who want to donate or buy tickets to the banquet do so at least a week before the event.