Three local students are heading to college in the fall with scholarship money in their pockets.

Kimberly Ange, Marlen Avelar Gomez and Daniel Thomas were awarded scholarships through the Golden LEAF Foundation for $3,000 every year for up to four years. The Foundation focuses on boosting the economy in rural areas in North Carolina, and since 1999, it has awarded 1,399 grants worth more than $619 million, according to a press release.

Ange graduated from Southside High School and will attend Louisburg College, Gomez graduated from Beaufort County Early College High School and will attend UNC-Charlotte, and Thomas attended Pungo Christian Academy and will attend East Carolina University.

The students were three out of 215 recipients across the state awarded the scholarship money.

“Honestly, I was very surprised because I knew it was going to be very competitive,” Gomez said. “I feel very honored and proud to have been selected.”

Gomez, 19, said she plans to graduate from UNC-Charlotte after only two years because of her Early College credits, and she is considering a career in law.

As part of the scholarship opportunity, recipients can also opt to secure an internship in their respective communities, and Golden LEAF will cover any costs. Gomez said she hopes to intern at a law firm in downtown Washington next summer.

Thomas, 18, said he plans to study mechanical engineering at ECU.

“I’ve always enjoyed math, and I’ve always been good at it and problem solving,” he said. “I also like to build and make things and know how they work.”

Thomas said the Golden LEAF Scholarship is going to help him a lot with college expenses, including room and board and textbooks.

“The Golden LEAF Scholarship is one of the many tools we have to help fulfill our purpose of growing North Carolina’s rural economy,” Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF president, said in a press release. “Our hope is that through this scholarship opportunity, scholars will be able to gain valuable knowledge and skills and come back to their hometowns or another rural area to help our communities prosper.”

“It’s a blessing,” Thomas said. “I’m ready to see how life is outside of Hyde County. I’m ready to start my future.”