The Optimist Club of Perdido Bay has awarded five $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors in Baldwin County.

Dallas Bender is interested in a career in the restaurant industry and will attend the Culinary Institute of America in New York. She hopes to be able to open her own restaurant in the future.

Kayleigh Bourne will attend Faulkner University in Montgomery to pursue a degree in elementary education. She said she looks forward to being a positive influence on her students, as her teachers were to her.

Julian Larinan seeks a marketing or business degree and looks forward to being an entrepreneur.

Lance Wilson plans on using his scholarship at Coastal Alabama Community College to pursue a degree in linguistics.

Austin Ingram will attend the University of Alabama in Huntsville where he will pursue a degree in aerospace engineering.