School may be winding down for summer break, but seven Bay area high school students are already focused on their next chapter of their lives -- college. 

They are young, bright and smart. Spectrum Bay News 9 was proud to award these high school seniors, who could be our next generation of scientists, with $1,000 Wednesday night as a part of our Project Weather Scholarship contest.

The contest awards high school seniors in public, private, or parochial schools who excel in science. It's a part of our commitment to educating children about science and weather.

The students joined Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay, Meteorologist Brian McClure, and Anchor Veronica Cintron in Spectrum Bay News 9's Weather Center, where the seniors were presented with a $1,000 check, a backpack, and a special certificate for their scholarship win.

The 2018-19 Project Weather Scholarship recipients:

Pasco County - Jillian Gordy, Sunlake High School

Hillsborough County - Reece Tappan, Jesuit High School

Polk County - Jessica Luongo, Chain of Lakes High School

Hernando County - Melissa Geiger, Central High School

Pinellas County - Stuart Case, Palm Harbor University High School

Manatee County - Lilyanne Pepe, Palmetto High School

Citrus County - Truman Roland, Citrus High School