HAMLET — Dalton Johnson of Hamlet has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina and local McDonald’s owner-operators.

The scholarships are awarded for outstanding academic achievement and community involvement. Thirty-two Charlotte-area students — including Johnson and Rachael Meachem of Wadesboro — received the honor.

“It’s an honor to reward these students with these well-earned scholarships. Each year, I am impressed by the applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to furthering their education,” Charlotte-area McDonald’s owner-operator Jeff Stanton said in a release. “This program makes us proud as McDonald’s owners and operators to support our students’ pursuits of their higher education goals.”

The RMHC scholarship recipients were chosen based on their leadership skills, academic success, community involvement, financial need and a personal essay describing how they intend to make a difference in society.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is committed to the health and well-being of children. From the six Ronald McDonald Houses in North Carolina that serve as “homes away from home” for families with seriously ill children to annual scholarships and grants for community programming, their outreach touches thousands of children each year.

RMHC of North Carolina, an independent nonprofit organization, is based in Raleigh and is governed by a board of directors composed of business and civic leaders along with McDonald’s representatives.